Devil or Angel
by MADAM BETH
Summary: FINAL CHAPTER POSTED!
1. Default Chapter

                                                                                                                    Devil or Angel

Not mine….can't begin to tell what I'd do with them if they were!!                               Beth Jones

DEVIL or ANGEL                                                                                                                                                      

Devil or angel, I can't make up my mind  
Which one you are I'd like to wake up and find  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I miss you, I miss you, I-I mi-i-iss you

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave me, I'll go out of my mind   
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I need you, I need you, I need you

You look like an angel  
Your smile is divine  
But you keep me guessin'  
Will you ever be mine?

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave, I've made up my mind  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I love you, I love you, I-I lo-o-ove you

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave, I've made up my mind  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I love you, I love you, I love you

                                                            **DeViL or AnGeL**

            Woody….

                               She feels so right in my arms. I have to admit I think she _feels_ right in my arms as well. She tries so hard to hide it but I know she wants this. At least the part of her that has fallen for me wants it. Definitely the part of her that doesn't mind her dad knowing what's up wants this. It's just a matter of getting through to the part of her that is ten years old and afraid that everyone she loves, has or is going to let her down that is the tricky part. And as I have learned since I met Jordan Cavanaugh, you cannot get to that part like a construction worker, bashing through it with a wrecking ball, you have to be more like an ice sculptor; chipping patiently away at the ice until you get the swan. I know it may sound like an easy enough plan of action, but tell that to the ice sculptor. I'm open to suggestions. 

                            I couldn't do much else but smile like an idiot when she and Max had their own little psychic conversation. I barely caught it when Jordan swung her eyes my way as she told Max she would close up for him. But I did catch Max subtly dart his eyes my way in approval before he turned quickly to leave. 

 "Be careful gettin' home." Was all he said as he headed for his coat and scarf. 

Then, as he wrapped the scarf around his neck he turned back to look once more at Jordan and I as we stood the appropriate distance- in- front- of –the- dad- away from each other. 

"You too Hoyt." Was all he said and gave me a look that said equal parts 'good luck' and 'don't hurt her'. I helped by responding to both earnestly and simultaneously. 

"Yes sir." I said and Jordan and I shared a smile. 

Assured by my answer, Max turned back towards the door and headed out into the snow without looking back. When Jordan turned to me I watched her face carefully, deciding what angle I could best start for the swan. She walked slowly towards me and I stood from the stool. I knew that look. Time to bring out the chisel and get to work. 

"So I uh, guess we better just call it a night huh?" she says with a nervous laugh. 

Okay, so I have to think fast. Okay, she's testing me. She doesn't REALLY want to call it a night, she's asking me for my opinion at least. Okay, so she's open to alternatives and she is asking my opinion. But I can play this game just as well as she can. So I answer her with what she just said. Can't get in any trouble there. 

"Yeah, uh…I guess so." Okay, that seemed to have worked. I got a quick peek at 'Deer in headlights' Jordan as she fumbles for where to go next. I felt kind of bad. She was totally lost in how to deal with her emotions for me. I could actually see the internal struggle as her head nodded yes, and her eyes said 'no!'. 

So of course because it is just about the most cliché thing we could do right at that moment, we both started to fumble out a lot of stupid from our mouths which caused nervous laughter on the part of both parties. I just smiled nervously and this unfortunately gave ten-year-old Jordan the chance to take the wheel and she said she'd go first. I realized that if I didn't cause a distraction soon, I might not get to hold her tonight. So I had to put my foot down and put the chisel to the ice. 

"Forget it. You know what? Just. Wait." I said as I slowly backed up towards the jukebox. I don't know where she thought I was headed but she closed her eyes and said my name in that warning type way. As planned, I ignored her. After all, I told her to forget it. To forget all of her logic for just a minute and let me take over. And I did just that. 

"Just don't say a word. And please dance with me?" I asked putting my hand out, confident that hers would soon join with it. 

I pulled her into my arms and rested my head beside hers. We danced slowly for a few seconds, then e playfully pulled back and I spun her. We ended up back in each other's arms, and like I said, she feels so right in my arms. I hold her to my chest closely, trying to squeeze the trust into her body. Did you ever do that with someone? Try so hard to convey an emotion to someone that you pictured yourself opening a little door in their chest and placing that emotion into their heart? I think that is what I am trying to do with Jordan right now. And I think that she knows it. She pulls away from me a little but I chance chiseling too deeply and pull her back. 

"Where are you going?" I whisper trying to be playful.

Jordan pulls away again and walks to counter. "No where." She says, back to me, arranging things on the counter. 

I sigh heavily as the song finishes and the room is suddenly and uncomfortably quiet. She's retreating from me….I think I may have accidentally chipped away at the wrong spot on the swan. I can't let her slip away now. I'm too close to finishing the swan. If I stop now, I might never get through to her. 

"Well, I'm not going anywhere Jordan." I say and hope she understands. I move closer to her as I realize she has tensed. 

She laughs nervously and moves to behind the counter. She's putting a barrier between us. 

"Well, your gonna have to go somewhere soon Cowboy, I'm closin' up." She says trying to be nonchalant.  

"Yeah, you are." I say irritated and join her behind the counter. Her shoulders slump so I know that she has gotten my drift. 

"Woody…..I still need time to think things out….I don't want to….." I cut her off.

"Jordan, you don't have to think anything more out. I'm. Not. Going. Anywhere." I say slowly. 

Jordan seems bothered by this as if I am stating something she already knows. 

"Yeah, I know Woody but…" I chance cutting her off again.

"Jordan, look at me." And she does. Right in the eye, our faces inches apart. I take her face in my hands. 

"I'm not going anywhere sweetie." I say with all the sincerity in the world. Jordan casts her eyes away from mine and they well up with tears. But she keeps up the game.

"I know." She says looking back into my eyes. I still don't believe her. I don't feel like ten-year-old Jordan believes me yet. 

"No, Jordan you don't. I'm not going anywhere." I say again and kiss her cheek as close to her mouth as I can get. When I pull back, I can see that the tears have finally begun to fall. She smiles through them though and takes my face in her hands as well. 

"Yeah, I do know." She says and seizes my lips. She kisses me hungrily and I wrap my arms around her, reinforcing that I won't ever let her go. We stand there behind the bar and kiss tenderly. 

When I finally pull back, it is only to look into her eyes and affirm that she really does know I'm sticking around. 

" I swear Jordan. I'll never let you down. I haven't given you any reason not to trust me yet have I?" she just shook her head no. 

"I mean, I've already bailed you outta jail, been interrogated by the LAPD, and shot and killed a man to save you….I think if I was gonna take off for the hills I would have done it somewhere between here and the 3000 miles away LA is." I say and nuzzle her hair with my nose.

Jordan chuckles and kisses my neck. 

"Yeah I guess that shows for something huh?" She asks and releases me to walk over to the jukebox. I hang onto her hand, still a little afraid that if I let go, she'll take off running, and follow her to the bright, humming box. 

Jordan checks her pockets for a quarter and when she can't find one, I see the gears turn in her head. She turns to me in a bubbly manner and mock seductively reaches her hand into my pants pocket and her fingers search for change. I just raise my eyebrows at her as she fishes around a little too long for a quarter. 

"Can I help you with something?" I ask fighting the need to squirm under her touch. 

"Nope, found what I was looking for." She says and produces a shiny quarter which she holds between our faces. I push her hand down and lean forward to kiss her. 

"Good." I say as she puts the quarter into the machine and skims the familiar list for a song. She decides on one I surprisingly know and one, which not so surprisingly describes the dance we've been involved in for almost a year. I hold her as we move with the easy tempo of the song. 

I really can´t stay, (Baby, it's cold outside)   
I've got to go ´way, (Baby, it's cold outside)   
The evening has been, so very nice   
(I hold your hands, there just like ice)   
  
My mother will start to worry   
and father will be pacin' the floor   
So really I´d better scurry   
well maybe just a half a drink more   
  
The neighbours might think, (Baby, it's bad out there)   
Say, what's in this drink, (No caps to be had out there)   
I wish I knew how, to break the spell   
  
I ought to say, no, no, no sir   
at least I'm gonna say that I tried   
I really can´t stay, outthere it's cold outside   
  
I simply must go, (Baby, it's cold outside)   
The answer is no, (Uhh, Baby, it's cold outside)   
The welcome has been, so nice and warm   
(Look out the window at that storm)   
  
My sister will be suspicious   
My brother will be there at the door   
My maiden aunt´s mind is vicious   
well mabe just a half a drink more   
  
I've got to get home, (Baby, you´ll freeze outthere)   
Say lend me a comb, (It's up to your knees outthere)   
You've really been grand, but don't you see   
(How can you do this thing to me)   
  
There's bound to be talk tomorrow   
at least there will be plenty implied   
I really can't stay, outthere it's cold outside   
  
Baby, it's cold outside

I can't help but smile when the song is over. Jordan smiles at me and I finally get a look at what contented ten-year old Jordan looks like. 

"So Woodrow, you wanna go play in the snow?" She asks and I cringe at her use of my given name. 

"Sure, only if you promise never to call me Woodrow again, K?"  I ask and wrap my arms around Jordan tightly again.

"Okay." She says simply and we almost knock each other over to get out the door and into the new-fallen snow. 

I sacked Jordan into the nearest snow bank we hit after fighting each other to the top of the stairs from the Pogue. She squealed with delight and I complimented her girlish chuckles with my deep ones. 

"Okay, okay…truce, truce….I'm calling a truce!!" I yell as she half pinches, half tickles my armpits through my dress shirt which is becoming increasingly wetter and wetter from the snow. Finally she stops and I lean slowly forward to kiss her. But at the last second I decide I'd rather put a handful of fresh powdery snow down the back of her shirt. 

"WOODY!!!" Jordan screams heaping handfuls of snow at me as I dart back towards the stairs. I charge down them laughing and swing back into the Pogue closing the door behind me. Jordan follows a few seconds later, still shaking snow from the back of her shirt. She spots me standing at the door holding the handle and crosses her arms. 

"You gonna let me in?" She asks and I smile shaking my head in the negative. Jordan looks up at the sky, still sprinkling snow down onto her and looks back at me. "Come on Woody, it's freezing out here and I don't have a coat!!" She is still laughing and I smile.

"It's gonna cost you." I say loud enough for her to hear me through the class of the door. She just gives me one of her patented Jordan looks and says, "Oh really? And what might that be?" She says placing her hands on her hips. 

I know she must be scared because I am sure my face just got a lot more serious. She thinks I want to ask to go home with her. I think she's thinking right. I can tell that if I ask her though she is probably going to say yes and I'm not sure she's ready for that yet. And I hate to admit it but I am kind of enjoying the old fashioned courting system myself. 

I try to smile now and seem a little more casual than I am sure I was about 2 minutes ago. I open the door and Jordan steps in slowly. 

"So what do I have to do now that I'm back in?" She asks rubbing her arms from the cold. I step forward, wrap my arms around her body, and rest my chin on her head. 

"Come have breakfast with me…I could use a nice big Belgian waffle." I say and kiss her forehead. I can feel the relief instantly course through her body. I was right, Jordan really doesn't want me to come home with her tonight…well…this morning…she needs to slow this down a little. I gave her something tonight that she really needed. I'm not going anywhere and I think she really gets it now. But now she needs time to think through that for a little and I feel like asking to go home with her would be too much for one night. We've had one breakthrough tonight and I am okay with waiting for her. I guess maybe the longer I'm still in the picture without sex being a part of our relationship, maybe that will do all the more to convince her I'm here for good. 

She pulls back and looks into my face as I smile shyly. 

"That sounds like a great idea. Thanks Woody." She stands on her tiptoes to kiss me and I nod when she pulls back. 

I don't need to ask what she's thanking me for, I already know. I pull her to my chest one last time and she hugs me back reassuringly. When I release her she grabs her coat and mine and hands it to me. I help her on with her coat and I catch her smiling as I do so. I shrug into my coat as Jordan heads for the door and throws me the keys to the Pogue knowing I will be the last one out. As she turns off the lights by the door I ask her where she wants to go for breakfast. 

"Oh, I don't care." She says innocently as she opens the door and a winter chill creeps in causing me to pull my coat more tightly around my body.

Jordan turns back to face me as she steps outside and smirks. 

"I mean it's not like it matters to me," she says producing my wallet from behind her back. "Since you're buyin' farm boy." She says and laughs, taking off up the stairs. I can only shake my head and play along, chasing after her once I've closed and locked the door behind me. 

                                                                                                                                    FINIS 

============================================================================================================

     ---------------à Well, I'm sure some people are feeling like they are left empty handed, but I assure you….they are getting there!

                                                                                                TO BE CONTINUED………………………………………….perhaps….hee hee!


	2. I'd Like to Wake up and Find

DEVIL or ANGEL                                                                                                                                                      

Devil or angel, I can't make up my mind  
Which one you are I'd like to wake up and find  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I miss you, I miss you, I-I mi-i-iss you

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave me, I'll go out of my mind   
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I need you, I need you, I need you

You look like an angel  
Your smile is divine  
But you keep me guessin'  
Will you ever be mine?

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave, I've made up my mind  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I love you, I love you, I-I lo-o-ove you

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave, I've made up my mind  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I love you, I love you, I love you

                                                                                    **I'd Like to Wake Up and Find (Devil or Angel II)**

**WOODY…**

As we walked out of the diner, bellies each satiated with a serving of warm Belgian waffles, the sun was just coming up. ****

"Oh, hey! It's Saturday!" Jordan said pulling her coat around herself tightly and pointing at the sun. I smiled and looked over to the East, wincing at the new morning sun. I rolled my eyes.   
"Actually, it's been Saturday for about…" I look at my watch carefully, " 6 hours now." I say and Jordan rolls her eyes. 

"perfectionist." She says rolling her eyes back at me playfully. She then looks back out over the city at the rising sun and I take the opportunity to pull her close to me.  Jordan tenses for a moment then, when I don't let go but don't tighten my embrace, she relaxes into me. "Actually it COULD still be Friday…" I said and Jordan looked at me puzzled. I smiled and stopped walking which caused Jordan to stop. I leaned forward and kissed her lips and noticed her brow was still furrowed in confusion. When I pulled back Jordan eyeballed me curiously. 

"And how does that make any sense at all?" She asked smirking. I nodded having hoped that she would ask me that. I wrapped my arm around her again and started walking. 

"Because, when we were dancing," I whispered softly into her ear, " I wished last night could last forever." I said and flashed her my best 'aw-gawsh' smile. Jordan answered by laying her head against my chest as we walked. Then she stopped and pulled my head suddenly down to her face and planted one on me so hard I thought I'd explode from lack of oxygen. 

"Good," she said starting to walk and leaving me still behind her fighting for air, "Cause I was supposed to do my laundry on Friday…so I still have time…and you can help me." She said and I just smiled between gasps and hurried to catch up with her. We walked back to the Pogue to pick up Jordan's car and headed off for her apartment together. When we got to Jordan's apartment, she made me take my wet stuff off outside the door like a five year old. I caught her chuckling as I yanked off my shoes and sox in the doorway and almost slipped and fell on my ass. When I was finally appropriately dry, I came in and Jordan was filling a laundry bag on her bed. I sauntered in and flopped down on the bed. Jordan didn't say anything just raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around a pillow and snuggled into it. 

"Usually, when a person asks for help, and another person accepts the request, the desired outcome of the request is to actually BE helped." Jordan said finally and I lifted my head from the pillow. "Are you using a new shampoo?" I asked avoiding her statement completely. Jordan just rolled her eyes and swung the large bag off of the bed and onto my middle. I let out an 'oof' and stood with the bag in my arms. 

…………………………………

"I hope you appreciate this!!" I said from behind the large bag as I walked blindly down the stairs, probably behind Jordan, on our way to the laundry room. I heard Jordan laugh in front of me as we continued our descent. 

"Aww…come on it's not THAT bad…and I have a few suggestions for what we could do afterwards if that inspires you in any way…" she trailed off and I dropped the bag to my feet in front of the washer. I seductively approached Jordan and wrapped my arms around her waist loosely, noticing for the first time that morning that she had dark, tired circles under her eyes. I'm sure mine looked just the same though. Jordan raised her eyebrows and wrapped her arms around my neck. 

"You don't mean…what I think you mean do you?" I asked playfully and Jordan smiled. Then she nodded and brought her lips within inches of mine and whispered. 

"…sleep…" With a smirk. I bit my lip and looked up at the cement ceiling. 

"Oooooohhhhhh yeah that's what I like to hear." I said and gently kissed Jordan's lips. Then I started walking backwards, Jordan still wrapped around me, and bumped into one of the already gyrating washers. When we hit it, my eyes shot open and I wagged them from Jordan to the machine and back. 

She considered me curiously for a beat, and then rolled her eyes and kissed me on the nose. 

"Oh please, honey this is real life, not an episode of Days of Our Lives." She said and I let out a deep, throaty laugh as she bent down to pick up her laundry. 

Together we started separating clothes into two washers and I, having opted to handle the delicates was delighted to come across a lacey powder blue thong with little lavender flowers on it. 

"Well hello there," I said quietly holding the little scrap of underwear up in front of me and causing Jordan to watch as she placed darks in the washer. "Nice to meet you…I'm sure we'll become VERY good friends in the future." I said slowly turning my head with my best 'Austin Powers' eyebrow raised. Jordan just chuckled and shook her head as I shot the underwear into the washer like a slingshot. I slammed the lid down pointedly and turned to Jordan who was adding detergent to her load. She flopped her lid down as well and then turned to me. 

"Ready?" she asked holding out her hand to me. I nodded tiredly and rubbed my neck as I took her hand with my free one. Jordan put her free hand on my tense neck as we waked to the laundry room door. "Ouch! That's one tight neck you got there partner! Want me to give it a go when we get upstairs?" she asked and I let my head drop sideways smiling sweetly at her. 

"Do you even need to ask?" I asked with a smile and Jordan pulled open the door. 

The next thing I remember, she gasped in surprise as I turned my head to see an outstretched arm and the barrel of a gun pointing right at me. Before I could realize what was going on, the gunmen, face covered with the hood of his navy blue sweatshirt, was making muffled demands for our money through his hood. I quickly assessed his tense manner, blood shot eyes, pale face and shaking arm and decided he was strung out and looking for money to renew a declining high. 

"Hey, take it easy man," I said slowly raising the hand that wasn't reassuringly holding Jordan's. I could feel Jordan's eyes on me pleadingly, but I continued unwavering, to stare down the gunmen. His hands were shaky and I could tell he was weak with need. I was sleep-deprived but I had the natural high of adrenaline on my side right then. He twitched his eyes nervously between Jordan and myself. Once again, he demanded our money. 

"I don't HAVE any money, my wallet isn't on me…and she doesn't have any either. Jordan here and I…we were just putting some laundry in. Just…walk away man you don't wanna do this." The man nervously shifted on his feet. I realized I had never taken my gun off my hip since last night. I'm so used to it being there now that I forgot about it. I stood there praying he wouldn't see the outline of the butt through my open dress shirt. He held us there, neither of us speaking, while he decided what to do. 

"Listen. You picked the wrong people here man, I'm a cop." I wasn't going to bring it up, but I thought it might save us here. If this guy knew I was a cop and that the ramifications of shooting me would be a city-wide manhunt, he might change his mind and leave. 

"We won't follow you, we won't report this, we'll just forget it ever happened if you just walk away right now. Okay?" The man looked at me then at Jordan and slowly shuffled forward, intent on checking our pockets. He checked Jordan first, and as he did her eyes looked pointedly at the indent my gun was clearly making on through my shirt. She was telling me not to go for it. But my gut told me this guy was gonna panic when he frisked me for money and found a sidearm instead. He was going to shoot us. And I couldn't let that happen.

As he reached hesitantly down to check Jordan's ankles, he kept his gun trained on me. But as soon as his eyes slipped down to Jordan's foot, I went for my gun. And that's the last I remember of that day. 

**JORDAN…**

            I pleaded with him. I could see the wheels turning in Woody's head as the guy roughly frisked my body for cash. So I looked Woody directly in the eye and silently begged him not to go for his gun. As the thief's shaky hand traveled down my leg, Woody's hand slowly began to rise towards his hip. I continued to stare him into leaving it alone, but just as he started to push aside his dress shirt, the gunman caught sight of it and all hell broke loose. Woody yanked the gun from its holster, as I screamed "No!" and the man raised his own gun and fired at Woody. Woody fired back and hit the man directly between his eyes. I watched the man fly backwards from the impact and hit the ground with a thud, his own gun sliding across the basement floor. I was in shock. When I looked back at Woody he was staring down at the man, breathing heavily, his gun still clutched in his hand. 

"Woody?" I said as tears stung behind my eyes. He looked over at me, his eyes glazed and far away. They narrowed in confusion at me and he looked down at his side, where his hand had impulsively grabbed for when the other man's gun had fired. He brought his hand away and I let out an angry cry as he held up his hand. The blood dripped slow and dark onto the gray cement floor of the basement. 

I hurried to catch him as best I could when he slumped suddenly to the ground. 

"Woody!!? Woody!" I said taking his face in my hands as his eyes welled up. He looked like a scared little boy who fell and scraped his knee on the driveway for the first time. 

"I…I've never been shot before." He said in a sad, ragged breath. His face contorted in pain and a tear slid down his cheek. I cradled his head with one arm and pressed my other hand to the wound. Woody's body rejected the pressure and his back arched off the ground as he let out a loud, low, cry. I screamed at the top of my voice for someone to call 911. 

**…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**

The paramedics were there in less than two minutes and they asked me to step back while they worked. I started to move around them and Woody tightened his grip on my hand. He wouldn't let me go. I looked into his face. He was still awake and he was terrified. The paramedics descended quickly upon him, checking vitals, inserting tubes. They worked around me for a moment as I was providing them with some valuable information concerning what had happened, if Woody was allergic to anything and how long ago it had happened. I kept switching my eyes between Woody and the dead body of the junkie laying only feet from me. They checked him briefly, and told me he was dead. I thanked them for checking for me and they nodded briefly together as they went back to work on Woody. Finally they decided I was in their way. 

"Ma'am, please." One of the medics said and I just looked at him helplessly. 

"I can't he's holding on too tight." I said breathlessly as they rushed around me. Woody's eyes begged me not to let go. I nodded at him and squeezed his hand back. Most people would have passed out by now having been shot in the side from that close, but Woody was wide awake and struggling to move.   
"Detective…"One of the medics said placing a mask on Woody's face. "You need to lay still so that we can help you and you need to let go of her hand!" he called into Woody's ear. Woody only answered by tightening his grip on my hand. The medic shook his head. 

"Suit yourself." He whispered, settling just to be happy that Woody was calmer. I helped them get him onto the backboard as mobile equipment beeped, and the senior medic gave orders to his younger counterpart. Woody seemed afraid for a second that I might let go.

"I'm not going anywhere Woody." I said into his ear as we approached the stairs. 

 We hurried for the stairs and I slipped into the stairwell tightly held between the board and the wall. We moved quickly and when we reached the ambulance I silently hopped into the back with the younger paramedic and Woody. 

"Ma'am, is he your husband?" the younger paramedic asked. I could tell he wanted me out if I wasn't. I raised my eyebrows at him, still trying to catch my breath from the stairs. 

"Do you want him to stay calm?" I asked and the kid nodded quickly, between listening to Woody's chest with his stethoscope. I grabbed it out of his hand as he pulled it away from Woody. 

"Then you want me to stay RIGHT HERE!" I called loudly into the little silver disk. The paramedic shook his head as he pulled the earpieces out of his ear in swiftly in pain. 

**…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**

I stood outside the trauma room, staring blankly as the doctors worked hurriedly on Woody. They had put him to sleep and I felt guilty that I was relieved. I just couldn't look into those scared, pale blue eyes anymore. It was enough that I would never forget the look in them as he lay there on the cold floor, blood pooling around us. 

A nurse came up behind me and asked if I needed medical attention. I shook my head slowly in the negative. She tried to guide me away from the window but I shook her off. She nodded and walked back into the room. I just stared at his limp body as it lay still on the table, needles being inserted into his arms, tubes everywhere. Blood everywhere. I looked down at my clothes. I was covered in his blood. My hands and arms stained red and sticky to the touch. I had to get it off. I turned, exhausted, and started to walk towards the bathroom. I rounded the corner, grabbing a scrub shirt from a shelf, and stopped when I looked up to see my dad speaking hurriedly with a nurse at the front desk. 

"Dad?" I said drowsily and began walking towards him. He snapped his head towards me and his shoulders slumped in relief. 

"Oh, oh God baby I thought I lost you." He said as I rushed into his arms. He held me tightly and then pulled back to look me over. 

"You're hurt?" he asked taking in the sight of my blood soaked clothes. I shook my head.  I could feel the tears welling up again and my voice cracked as I spoke.

"No…Dad…it's…it's Woody…he was…we were doing the laundry and…and…I opened the door…and he just…"I broke down in his arms and dad held me tightly as I sobbed into his shirt. 

"Shhh……..shh baby. It's alright I'm sure they're takin' good care of him." He said as we rocked back and forth standing in the middle of the E.R. Just as I had about exhausted myself crying, The sliding doors of the E.R. opened and Garrett, Nigel, Bug, and Lily rushed in. I wiped my face against Dad's shirt as they all descended upon us.   
**…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**

Dad handed me wordlessly off to Lily, who guided me into the bathroom. She didn't ask much at first, just helped me to get cleaned up and took my clothes and put them in a plastic bag. "So…What exactly happened?" Lily asked tentatively as I was standing staring at myself in the bathroom mirror. I held my hands up in front of me briefly. They were shaking. 

I sighed heavily and splashed water on my face again. I shook my head and turned to face Lily, my arms crossed over my chest. 

"We…went out to breakfast…went back to my place and I volunteered him to help with my laundry." I shook my head and turned back to the mirror. 

"It wasn't your fault Jordan. Who would ever have guessed that someone would hold you up in the laundry room of your building?" Lily said crossing her arms. 

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. But he's in there…and I'm out here…and his face…and his eyes. He was terrified, Lily." I shook my head again and Lily nodded soberly. 

I took a deep breath and headed back out to the E.R. To reality. 

All four men turned together when they caught sight of me and I came to stand with them. Garrett took me in his arms first. 

"I'm so sorry, Jordan. But don't worry, he's a strong boy, young, he'll be fine." He said and I nodded. Bug and Nigel couldn't think of anything to say so they just hugged me together between them. When they pulled away I smiled weakly. 

"Heard anything yet?" I asked looking to Dad since he had been there the longest of them all. He looked at me and sighed.   
"They're takin' him up to surgery, Baby. The bullet pierced his small intestine and went clear through his back." 

"So the bullet went all the way through? It's…it's not in him anymore?" I asked and Dad nodded. 

"They're just gonna have to repair the damage…the doctor should be out to talk to us in a minute." I suddenly realized something. 

"God…someone's gotta call his family…let…them…let them know what…" Dad hushed me. 

"Taken care of Sweetheart, I just got off the phone with his mother a minute ago. Their on the next flight out tonight. Should be here by about 7 tonight." He said and I nodded.   
"Why don't you go home and get a little sleep, it'll do no one any good for you collapse from exhaustion today." I shook my head.   
"No I just…I'm gonna lay down in the private room for a little." I said and wandered away from everyone. 

"Want someone to go with you?" Dad asked and all heads turned toward me. 

"No…thank you…but I need to be by myself for a little." I said and slinked down the hall. When I reached the corner, I noticed a sign pointing down the hall that said, "Chapel." I looked behind me at my crew and snuck down that hall quietly. 

I quietly entered the chapel and looked around the room quickly to make sure no one was there. The room was lit dimly with soft light, and a small amount of candle- light from the prayer candles. I slowly made my way over to them and crossed myself before silently kneeling before the candles. I sighed and then bowed my head. I hadn't prayed without the help of a priest in probably about 10 years. But that day, in front of God and no one else, I prayed that Woody would live. I wish I could say it was a totally selfless prayer, but I wanted him to live for me too. I needed him to live. I was so deep in my own thoughts that I didn't notice the doors to the chapel open quietly and my Dad creep in until he was kneeling right beside me lighting a candle. I smiled sadly. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat and reached into his pocket. 

I watched as he produced my Rosary beads. I smiled sadly again and nodded. 

"Thought you might want these right now." He said placing them safely in my hands. I looked down at them and gently rolled the smooth beads between my fingers. 

"Yeah," I said taking a match with my other hand and lighting a candle myself. As I blew out the match, I turned at the sound of the chapel doors opening again. 

I smiled as Bug, Nigel, Lily and Garrett slipped into the chapel silently and each smiled at me. They headed up the aisle together and came to kneel next to me, each taking a turn lighting a candle. I heard the doors open again and seven guys from the force, including Detective Eddie Winslow, strolled in. My friends moved to sit in a pew together. I felt my eyes well up as each detective approached the altar, crossing themselves, and then coming to where Dad and I still knelt and lit a candle each. I stood and Winslow embraced me briefly. 

"He's a good kid, he'll pull through." He said and I nodded. 

"Thanks for coming here Eddie." I said and he shrugged his shoulders. 

"No problem." He said and went to sit with the others. Just as I was turning back to Dad, the doors opened once more and the Doctor slipped quietly in. 

I turned back to the altar one last time and looked up to the ceiling. "You owe me one." I whispered lightly and took a deep breath before standing up. I slowly headed towards the door and everyone followed me wordlessly. 

When I reached the doctor he smiled.

"Well, I'm sure Detective Hoyt will be pleased to know he has such a big fan club." He said and his hint went clear over all of our overcomplicated heads. He regarded us for a few tense seconds then said, "So, he's asking for his dance partner…anyone here wanna own that title?" He asked and his face spread into a grin that can only be worn by someone who delights in bringing good news. Everyone broke out in relieved laughter. Dad pushed me gently forward and I followed the doctor out the door wagging my eyebrows as a 'thank you' to the Man Upstairs. 

I followed him to the elevator and he updated me on Woody's condition as we rode up to the 3rd floor. Nothing made me happier than stepping off that elevator and reading the sign for the floor. "Recovery" it read in big maroon letters. I smiled and followed the doctor down the hall to Woody's room. He stopped me outside the door and prepared me for what I was going to see. 

"Now, he's a little out of it…morphine is doin' him good right now, and he's a little groggy. He's got a catheter in and a feeding tube down his nose. But he can talk if he wants to and he's already given us a few big smiles." The doctor rested a hand on my shoulder and I thanked him before taking a deep breath and turning the corner. 

I was surprised. He didn't look as bad as I thought he would. He was on his back, raised up a few inches to give him a view of the room and a feeding tube with a milky beverage was inserted in his nose. His eyes danced nervously around the room and when he caught sight of me, his face broke out in a wide grin. I smiled back and slinked over to his side. He raised his hand slowly and I took it in my own, bending down to kiss his knuckles. 

"Hey there Cowboy…" I said and Woody raised his eyelids heavily to allow himself a better view of me. I took a seat on the bad next to him and he began rubbing little circled over my knuckles. His lips moved and I read them to say 'hi'. He cleared his throat to talk and I laid my hand on his chest as Dr. Jordan kicked in momentarily. He smiled and wiggled his nose. 

"Remember…," he said in a faint whisper, " When you were… little and you laughed… and milk came out your nose?" he said with a smile. I nodded. 

"I think… the milk is… getting it's payback." He said and looked down at the tube. I ran my fingers gently through his hair and his eyes started to drift shut again. 

"Why don't you sleep now Woody…we'll talk later. Oh and your parents are on their way from Kewaunee. Should be here tonight." I said and Woody nodded. 

"My brother too?" he whispered. I smiled. 

"I didn't know you had a brother." I said and continued running my fingers through his hair. He smiled and let out a weak chuckle. 

"Yeah…, I have a brother." He said simply and I felt this brother was going to be quite an interesting character. I just nodded. He was trying so hard to stay awake. I let my fingers slip down to his pale face and I took two fingers and gently trailed them from between his eyebrows to the tip of his nose and back again in a methodical manner. He sighed and his body settled. 

"Your gonna make me purr." He said with his eyes closed. 

"No…I'm gonna make you sleep…" I whispered barely audible. "And when you wake up, I'll let everyone come in to see you…and they'll probably bring you flowers and candy…" I said, my voice matching the rhythm I was keeping between his eyes. "Mmmhmmm…"he mumbled as his breathing became even and his face slackened peacefully in slumber. I bent over and kissed his lips gently where the tube wasn't laying. Then I laid my head on his shoulder for a second, hoping to subliminally allow his to pick up where we left off dancing the night before. When I was sure he was completely out, I stood and crept out of the room. As I passed the recovery waiting room, I saw several heads turn towards the door and I stopped in the doorway. Everyone stood and waited for me to speak. My eyes filled up with happy tears and smiled. 

"He's gonna be fine. He's breathing on his own, he kidded with me a little…but he's REALLY doped up…so I made him sleep…In an hour or so he should be up and then we can all go in and see him." I said and everyone began chatting, relieved. 

**WOODY…**

I didn't know for how long I'd been out, but when I woke up I was mildly irked that Jordan had put me to sleep like a little boy. I'm a homicide detective Dammnit, not the little neighbor kid she baby-sits. I got passed my displeasure when I lost focus at the feel of something smooth and balled in my palm. I raised my hand gently and opened my fist to find a string of Rosary beads clutched in my hand. I dropped one side of them to admire them and smiled when I realized they must be Jordan's. I also could taste her on my lips. 'I bet she never kissed the neighbor kid like that.' I thought smugly and looked around the room.  I sighed and toyed gently with the feeding tube down my nose, still not completely comfortable with it. Just then Jordan walked in. 

"Jeez, can't leave you alone for 10 minutes without you trying to mess with your meds." She said hands on her hips. I smiled. 

"I'm not trying to take it out," I said and then shifted uncomfortably as something else inserted into me caught my attention. I cringed. "But I'll give you 10 bucks to take this catheter out for me." He whispered with a smile. I laughed and came to sit next to him. 

"It bothering you?" She asked and her eyes inadvertently dropped to my lowers. I smiled and then nodded serious. 

"Yeah, actually, it is." I said and shifted again, causing a pinching pain in a spot pinching should never be associated with. Jordan narrowed her eyes. 

"Do you…want me to take a look at it?" she asked tentatively. I know I must have turned red. I shook my head no. 

"I'm afraid…that if you see…that…like that…you'll never be able to see it again without picturing it unpleasantly as it is now…" I explained, my voice coming back to me a little more. Jordan nodded in understanding and told me she was going to go hunt down a MALE nurse for me. I smiled appreciatively and sighed as she walked out the door. I tried to stay as still as possible for the next few minutes and when she returned with a nurse he asked if I wanted Jordan to step outside. I thought for a moment then shook my head. 

"Nah…" I said and Jordan came to sit next to me on  the bed. The nurse took the courtesy of lifting the sheets on the other side and Jordan took my hand. 

"Well, it looks like it's time to change that, give me a sec and I'll be right back to help you out Bud, alright?" He said dropping the sheets gently and slipping back out the door again. I nodded and thanked him. Jordan smiled and bent down to kiss me again. 

"You snuck one when I fell asleep didn't you?" I asked with a smirk. Jordan rolled her eyes and ran a hand threw my mussed hair again. 

"How'd you know?" She asked with a smile. I shrugged my shoulders as the nurse came back into the room, opening a little plastic bag. "She stayin' for this one too?" he asked pursing his lips as the bag finally popped open. Jordan looked at me. I nodded again. The nurse nodded and rolled a stool up to my side. Jordan was great. She held my hand and didn't laugh when I squeaked in pain. Her eyes never left mine the whole time. I was breathing heavily and a sweat was moments from breaking out on my face when the nurse announced he was done. I sighed a heavy sigh and Jordan tried to suppress a chuckle. I caught her though. 

"Oh, you think it's so funny, me in pain like that?" I said meaning it as a joke. Jordan's face suddenly grew serious. 'Uh-oh' I thought looking off into the corner. 'she wants to ream me out for playing high noon at the O.K. corral with that guy. I shook my head before she could speak. 

"He was gonna shoot us whether we had money or not Jordan, did you see his eyes?" I asked and she nodded.   
"You knew I thought it was a bad move, Woody." She said sternly. I nodded. 

"Yeah, but you're okay. And that made it the right move for ME." I said and Jordan sighed. Then she looked down at our entwined hands and shook her head. 

"But…you…promised me you'd never leave me, Woody. And…today you almost did." She said and her eyes filled up with tears. I pulled her down into my arms. 

"Almost doesn't count didn't you know that?" I said with a smile. "And besides, I understand I had a little help in convincing me to stick around." I said and held the Rosary beads up with my free hand. Jordan wiped her eyes and smiled. 

"Yeah, and not just from me." She said and turned to look across the nurses' station and into the waiting room. I tried to look around her as she beckoned for someone. I considered her curiously for a few seconds and she smiled, finally pushing the tears over her lids. I reached up to wipe them away with my thumb as a commotion entered my room.

I smiled and my own eyes burned with unshed tears as Max, Dr. Macey, Lily, Bug, Nigel, and a bunch of the guys from the precinct gleefully entered my room. Max stood next to Jordan and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. With his free hand, he patted my shoulder.

"How ya feelin' Boy?" he asked happily and I shrugged. 

"I've had better days." I said and smiled appreciatively at Max. He nodded and Lily sat a vase of flowers on the table next to my bed and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. I smiled at her as she explained they were from everyone at the morgue. I joked with the guys from the office and as everyone was laughing, I heard a familiar woman's voice over the commotion say, "Excuse me am I in the right room?" she said and the little crowd parted to reveal my very stressed out looking and confused mother.

"Yeah, Mama, I'm over here somewhere." I croaked with a smile. Her eyes filled up with tears and she hurried to my side. 

"Oh my poor baby! Look at you!" she said taking my cheeks gently between her hands. I rolled my eyes when she kissed me on the forehead and licked her fingertips, giving my hair a go as Jordan had earlier.

"Ma!" I complained light-heartedly, not entirely unhappy with her doting. I looked behind her and my step dad Neil, stepped forward along side of her and mussed my hair. 

"So how does it feel to have your first battle wound, Son?" he asked with a smile and placed his hands in his pants pockets. I started to respond when another familiar voice protesting all of the attention I was getting beat me to it.  

"Oh sure," the voice called from the doorway and everyone turned to see my nearly identical year-younger brother leaning against the doorframe with a smile on his face, "I fall off my bike when I'm ten and have to get 3 stitches in my arm and you tell me to suck it up, but WOODROW gets shot and it's all 'we're getting on a plane to Boston in 5 minutes." He said and I rolled my eyes. 

"Calvin, good to see YOU haven't changed a bit." I said as he came to my bedside. In an uncharacteristic move, Cal bent his tall, lanky frame over me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders tightly. I was taken aback and had to blink away a few surprised tears as he pulled back and mussed my hair as well. I smiled. 

"Glad your okay bro." He said and I took his hand briefly and squeezed it. My mom made a noise and started rummaging through her purse. She found what she was looking for and pulled out a string of Rosary beads. My Rosary beads. I smiled at her. 

"Thanks Mom." I said smiling at her and put them next to my bed with Jordan's. Jordan picked them up and looked them over. I waited for the inevitable. 

"Woody…What does W.W.O. stand for?" she asked reading the inscription on the back of the cross. I smiled at my mom and she nodded in approval. 

"Ummm…well, when I was 4 my dad died. Mom married Neil 2 years later and…we took his name." I said smiling proudly at my step dad. 

"So what WAS your last name?" Jordan asked looking up from the beads.

"Umm…it was O'Connell." I said with a little smile. Max's head shot up. 

"I'm sorry I musta misheard you…did you say O'CONNELL?" he asked with a smile. 

"Yep." I said and Max shifted from foot to foot. "So then you're probably…" Max trailed off. I finished for him. 

"Irish as Guinness beer?." I said with a chuckle. Max's eyes lit up and he came at me quickly. 

"Oh Son!" he said wrapping his arms around me tightly and I winced with a cry. He pulled away carefully and Jordan patted his shoulder gently. Everyone laughed and as I was laughing, I let out a loud yawn. 

Everyone laughed again. "I guess that's our cue!" Neil said with a chuckle. He patted my leg and mom hugged me and said they'd be back in the morning. Cal eyeballed Jordan and then gave me thumbs up and winked. I shook my head and shooed him off with a little wave of my hand. Everyone said their good-byes and filed out of the room. Well, all except Jordan. When everyone was gone she came over and sat next to me again. I took her hand this time and held it like I had when we danced the night before. She must have noticed because she smiled. Then she laid her head down on my chest quietly. We stayed that way for a few minutes and I listened to the newfound sound of air through my nose since the doctors removed the tube. Then all of a sudden, Jordan started laughing heartily against my chest. 

"What?" I asked smirking as Jordan lifted her head. She sat up and traced my face along my freckles. 

"Well, you mean BESIDES the fact that you made my dad's year now that he knows your Irish?" She asked and I nodded in understanding. I wrapped one arm around her waist and she laid her head back down against my chest and started to hum. I smiled ear to ear when I noticed the tune. Then my smile got even wider when she began to sing the words to the song.

"Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave me, I'll go out of my mind   
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I need you, I need you, I need you

You look like an angel  
Your smile is divine  
But you keep me guessin'  
Will you ever be mine?

Devil or angel please say you'll be mi-i-ine  
Love me or leave, I've made up my mind  
Devil or angel dear, whichever you are  
I love you, I love you, I-I lo-o-ove you"

**JORDAN…**

When I lifted my head from Woody's chest he was sound asleep. I smiled and laid my head back down, the days events finally all weighing down on me and the last drop adrenaline in my body was spent as I fell asleep on his chest. 

When I woke up, I lifted my head from Woody's warm chest and glanced at his sleeping face. I smiled and kissed his lips softly. 

"You know," a voice said from the doorway, "When Woody moved here, I was worried that he'd lost his family." Woody's mom took a step into the room as I stood from his side. She smiled at him as he slept and then smiled at me. I nodded in understanding. She shook her head slowly and smiled at me again.

"But now I can see that isn't entirely true." She said and I nodded again, allowing a wide grin to spread across my face. 

"Your son…is…a wonderful man. And he does have quite a family here." I said and laid my hand on his arm, rubbing it gently. Mrs. Hoyt chuckled and covered her mouth to keep from waking him. 

"He does sort of grow on you doesn't he?" she said with a shake of her head. I laughed and nodded with her. "Yes, even under the toughest conditions."  I said guiltily alluding to my less than warm rejection of him for the first few months he pursued me. 

"Oh, gave him a hard time did you?" She asked and I rolled my eyes. "A lot of good it did me." I said with a chuckle. She raised her eyebrows at me. 

"Persistent fella isn't he?" She asked and I nodded. "I honestly don't think you have any idea how persistent. You might after you get to know me better." I said and Mrs. Hoyt laid a hand on my arm. 

"I think I have a pretty good idea of what kind of woman you are right now." She said and I looked at Woody again. 

"Oh you think so?" I asked nervously and she chuckled again. 

"Well of course," she said with a coy smile, "MY son thinks pretty highly of you and that's good enough for me." She said and I laughed as we walked out of the room together. 

"Would you like some coffee?" I asked and we stopped together in the doorway. She sighed heavily and turned back to look at Woody. 

"That sounds wonderful dear." Mrs. Hoyt said as we rounded the corner.  

**WOODY…**

When Jordan came in to visit first thing on the third day I was in the hospital, I think I stunned her when I wasn't laying nearly flat on my back. 

"Hey!" she said hurrying to my side and sitting down softly beside me. "Brought you a present!" she said smiling and throwing something light and messily wrapped down on my chest. I sat forward slowly and gave her a kiss. She smiled and motioned for me to open the present. I picked it up slowly and looked it over. 

Then I pulled at the ribbon of the present and it opened easily. And a puffy white sponge popped out. I smiled and looked up at Jordan and sighed. 

"If there's a naughty nurse costume in your bag, I'll be the happiest man alive…" I said seriously. She wagged her eyebrows and I grabbed for her bag. I flipped open the top and was mildly saddened when I found the bag nearly empty. Jordan chuckled. 

"Just be satisfied with what you are getting…"she said and I struggled to sit up a little better. 

"And what's that?" I asked trying to look sexy but probably still looking high from my daily 'happy pill'. Jordan leaned forward and smiled seductively. 

"A bath." She said and I nodded in understanding, a shy smile playing across my lips. 

"But I just had a shower  an hour ago, they took the catheter out for good. First thing I did was hop in the shower."

"Ooooohhhhh…….that's too bad, then I guess  you owe me a shower when you get out of here." she said and I did a little cheerleader rah-rah in a moment of glee. 

"Well, ya know…I have kinda limited mobility so…I don't know if I did a real good job…you could…check my work?" I asked and Jordan smiled and threw the sponge in my face. She caved. I knew she would. This was just too good an offer.

 I sat up better and Jordan put pillows behind my back to support me better. Then she shut my door and pulled the curtain around. I watched her as she went into the bathroom and started to fill a little basin with water. I watched her contentedly and after checking the water temperature several times, she finally carried the basin slowly out and rolled my tray table up to the bed. She set the basin down on it and I handed her the sponge. She pulled the sheet to the foot of the bad and I stretched my legs and smiled. Then she moved back up to my side and helped me o lean forward and pull the hospital gown off. She did a double take at my boxers and then started cracking up. I joined her in laughing as best I could. 

"Where on EARTH did you get those?" she said tugging on the edge of them to see the pictures. I smile and looked down proudly at my shorts. They had a cherubic little Bart Simpson on them floating on a cloud, a halo over his head and a harp in his arms.  

"My brother brought them for me. I just thought I'd give you an answer to your question." I said and smiled. Jordan nodded. 

"And what question is that?" she asked and I lifted the side of my shorts for her to better see. I  smiled. "Which one you are, I'd like to wake up and find…" I sang playfully. Jordan nodded in understanding and smiled. 

"Well, I'm still not sure yet…I haven't waken up with you yet." She said playfully and I suddenly became serious. I nodded. 

"But you will…hopefully for the rest of my life." I said and Jordan smiled and under her breath said, "Angel. I hope not ALL the time." Before leaning over and claiming my lips. When she pulled back, I sat forward slowly and handed her the sponge. She took it and dipped it into the water, allowing the water to soak up into the sponge. Then she lifted it out and squeezed it a little so that it was heavy with water but not dripping. We didn't speak. I just let her lean me slowly back and she peeled back my bandages carefully. I watched as Dr. Jordan took over for a few seconds and she quickly assessed my healing. When she was satisfied with the stitch work, she held the sponge over it and gently squeezed the warm water onto the wound. I tensed briefly and Jordan looked up at my eyes to make sure I wasn't in too much pain. I nodded assuring her that I was fine, and she gently set the sponge against the wound. I could only watch as she continued her travels along my body. 

It was our first really intimate experience. She didn't move with the cold, methodic routine of a nurse, but the gentle, tender care of…well…a lover. I wasn't even bothered that we hadn't slept together. Taking care of me was so much more fulfilling for both of us right then. 

Jordan washed my chest, letting her hands run across it smoothly as she washed and then up and down my arms, gently stroking the spots made sore by IV's and places where blood was taken and given. I sighed and relaxed into her touch. Then she washed my back and the entry wound. I didn't feel any pain, just the gentle running of her soft fingers over the wound. She washed my shoulders and with the tip of her pointer finger ran a trail through my freckles in her own little connect the dots game. I smiled and kissed the inside of her upper arm while it was reached around my neck.  She kissed me back at my temple and I could feel her smile against my face. She pulled away then, and fetched some new water to do my face. When she returned, she laid a towel behind my head on the pillow and I laid back onto it wordlessly. I watched the steam rise from the little basin as Jordan placed a white washcloth into it, making the water slosh quietly against the side. She rang it out and then gently laid it on my face. I breathed in the heat and felt the warmth seep into my pores. When she lifted it off, she wet it again and washed behind my ears. Then she sat me back up again and gently leaned me forward, dipping my hair into the basin. She ran her fingers through my wet hair, shaking off some of the wetness and the sat me back up again. I shook with a little chill as the water trickled down to my chest. Jordan ran the washcloth through my hair a few times and then placed it beside her in the basin and used her hands to finish. When she had fixed my hair, she let her hands travel down to my chest and slowly worked the water around on my chest causing it to dry. 

When Jordan was finished, she pulled out a fluffy dark blue towel from her bag that I hadn't noticed when I looked before. She opened it with a smile and laid it across my chest. I was enveloped by the warmth. Not only from the towel but from the gesture as well. She dried my face, then my chest and shoulders finally ending by rubbing the towel over my hair several times. When she pulled back I smiled. 

**JORDAN…**

When I had finished cleaning Woody up, I scrunched the towel up and wrapped it around his neck. I held tightly onto both sides and he smiled at me, his hair standing out in 10 different directions. I smiled back and pulled gently on both ends of the towel, bringing him face to face with me. 

"Thank you." He whispered shyly. I nodded and claimed his lips. Woody leaned back, probably straining himself a little, and held my hands around the ends of the towels, ensuring that I was leaning forward still holding his lips as he leaned back.  He let go of my hands and held my face gently as we kissed. I laid one hand on his chest and the other I ran through his damp hair. I didn't really want to push him any further but, Woody let his hand wander down from my cheeks, down my side, and lifted me up onto him. I tried to keep myself from pushing on him to hard and I sort of hovered above him on the bed. 

"Umm…Woody…" I said between kissing and groping. 

"Yeah?" he moaned and unfortunately that just turned me on more. 

"Remember how I wouldn't have sex with you…on…a washer?" His only answer was another moan as he arched his body off of the bed a little to touch mine. I didn't stop him, but I pulled back to look in his face. 

"Annnnnnnddddd…..so what makes you think I'm gonna have sex with you in a hospital bed while you're MAIMED?" I asked and Woody stopped moving. He was silent for a moment then looked at the door and back to me. Then he shrugged his shoulders and started to protest, "But…but…there are locks on the door…aren't there? Locks on…" 

 But I just kept shaking my head 'no'. He sighed and shrugged again, deciding to ignore me and continue playing. 

I kissed him one last time as he tried to pull me back towards him and I started to climb off of him just as the doctor pulled the curtain back. 

"Oh! Sorry kids," he said as he looked casually down at Woody's chart. I scrambled off of the bed and threw the sheets back up at Woody before fixing my clothes. 

"Sorry? What for?" Woody asked innocently, his hair incriminatingly mussed and his face red with blush. The doctor glanced up with one of those 'are you kidding' looks. Woody looked at me for help and I just raised my arms with one of those, 'I got nothing' looks. The doctor was silent for a beat then,

"Nice undies, I dig the Simpsons." He said with a little smirk and moved up to check Woody's vitals. 

"And as for the sorry part, I hate to break it to you but THOSE sort of extra curricular activities can't happen for at the very least…4 weeks?" he said cringing.

Woody went slack jawed. "Huh?" he said and the doctor nodded. "What's..um…what's that mean exactly?" Woody asked sitting up in bed a little. 

The doctor sighed and came to stand next to Woody. He threw a clean gown down in his lap and as Woody put it on said, 

"That means EXACTLY that you've got a doctor's note for physical education class Tiger…no gym participation for a month." He said and pointed a finger at me. 

"Just say 'NO' dear, its every woman's right." He said winking and strolling out of the room. I turned back to Woody. He was still slack jawed. 

"Oh will you take it easy? We can find loads of other stuff to do…" I said and came to sit next to him on the bed. Woody furrowed his brow and looked at me. 

"Like what?" he asked softly, his voice stolen with his manhood. I rolled my eyes. 

"well, didn't you do stuff BEFORE you lost your virginity or did you just jump in feet first?" I asked stating what I felt was the obvious. Woody un-furrowed his brow and turned a little red. 

"Oh." He said and I let my fingers graze along his thigh lightly. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh……." He said finally, and I realized he just had his "ah-hah!" moment. I smiled and rolled my eyes. 

"Ooooo…….i haven't just messed around in a while." I said and leaned forward to kiss Woody. He smiled and raised his eyebrows. 

"Hmmmmm…….four weeks of fore-play……that's gonna put a lot of pressure on me for the real thing….." he said and I leaned forward again, and claimed his lips. 

"hmmm…..we're gonna have to stock up on supplies for the weekend…no going outdoors for us at that time." I said and Woody seemed pleased with this proposition. He pulled me gently back down to him again and wrapped his arms around my back, stroking it gently as we kissed. We forgot the curtains were now opened and the entire E.R. was getting a little soft-core porn. 

"What are you people rabbits?" A voice called from the doorway and we both looked towards the sound. Cal stood there, arms crossed. I started to respond, but Cal put up a hand. 

"it's okay, I understand…I mean…it was the boxers right? I knew they would work…I told Woody that…" he continued and I leaned back down to kiss Woody once again as Cal continued to ramble and we continued to ignore him. 

**To be continued……….     **

**                                I swear!! The next chapter is gonna be called, " 28 days." Can't go wrong there can we kids? You know what is gonna be allowed after thse 28 days…and it will happen early..i'm not gonna give you 12 pages of fore-play…as…..entertaining as that….could…be….oh well…it'll be up eventually. Like I said, semester is almost over and that is currently priority one….!!!**


	3. 28 Days Part 1

Disclaimer:

Not mine…I merely remove them from a drawer belonging to Tim Kring and play with em' for a while…I…imagine much like "borrowing" GI Joes from my brother as a kid…well…in any case, I'll put em back when I'm through…promise….

                                                                                                                                                                                                              MADAM BETH 28 Days 

"You know, maybe it would be better for me if I DIDN'T stay at your place until I was better?" Woody suggested as I joyously packed a few duffle bags full of clothes for him as he sat gingerly on the couch in his apartment. I turned to look at him, a handful of black and gray boxer-briefs in my hand. 

"Why not?" I asked, pretending like the comment had hurt me. Woody ooched around on the couch trying to find a position that didn't irritate his side. He sighed heavily as he wiggled into the corner of the couch, holding the waistband of his jeans down in order to not let the rough denim rub against his bandages. 

"Well…it's just… I don't think you can keep your hands off of me for 28 days…there I've said it!" He teased slapping a hand down on the arm of the couch for emphasis. 

I just stared at him and rolled my eyes. "Boy, have you got my number detective." I said as I stuffed the underwear into a bag and zipped it shut with some force. "Can't get nothin' past you." I said as I picked up the bags and threw the lightest one on the couch next to Woody for him to take. He stood slowly from the couch, trying his best to hurry after me as I stalked out of the apartment, checking the lock as I went.   
  


"Ooo..oo..oo…helpsies." Woody said as he hobbled to the door and I turned on my heels. 

  
"Helpsies?" I asked with a cringe as Woody took a hold of my shoulder and balanced himself going down the hallway to the elevator. "Oh yeah, I just want you to take me right here against the elevator doors after 'helpsies'." I said as the doors opened and I threw two of the bags into the elevator car. I shuffled Woody into the elevator and he leaned against the railing inside as I dragged the light bag he was supposed to be carrying, into the elevator and pushed the close doors button with a scoff. 

When we arrived at my apartment, I immediately went to my room and grabbed the bag of things I had picked out for Woody since he had no idea how to care for himself in the condition he was in. 

"Here." I said throwing the bag down next to him on the couch, where in the 3 entire minutes since we had entered my place, Woody had settled comfortably into and set up temporary residence on. He lifted the bag to his lap and rifled through it. 

"What are these?" He asked holding up a set of four cotton sleep pants. One pair was light  blue, the other dark, one maroon and the other yellow, like the shirt he had worn the day we set up that SickBoy23 character at my dad's bar. 

"These," I said taking a still packaged pair from his hands, "are what you're going to be wearing day and night for the next several weeks. Loose fitting, elastic waist, sleep pants. They are kinda like scrub pants, but for little boys who get shot right where the edges of their Spiderman underwear digs into their bellies!" I said smirking as Woody smirked back.

"Ha, ha…very funny." He said opening one of the packages and removing the pants. I started to go through his bags as he stood and dropped his jeans right there in front of me.  I lifted an eyebrow and watched as he tried to be sexy while fumbling and nearly falling as he tried to get on the pants. He had to sit back down and kick off his shoes in order to get the pants on. I chuckled and pretended to cough. 

"Shut up." He said, holding his side as he sat back down and pulled off his socks. He waved them in my face and I laughed before throwing them, along with his jeans, into my laundry basket. 

"Our stuff looks right together." He said matter of factly as I pushed the basket towards the door with my foot. I just smiled, a little uncomfortably and nodded before heading into my room. 

"I'm gonna grab you a pillow and blanket if you plan to spend most of your time in front of the television." I said and I heard Woody sigh, realizing he had made a mistake and pushed a little too fast. 

Woody… 

Oh good, now I did it. Why can't I ever just let the random little thoughts that pop into my head stay there? I couldn't believe I had just let that slip. I was finally developing some sort of romantic relationship with Jordan and I had to go and practically invite myself to move in by saying that our stuff looked 'right' together in the laundry. 

Jordan returned a minute later and helped me to get a pillow behind my back. I thanked her as she spread a blanket over me before heading to the kitchen. 

"Tomato soup okay for lunch?" She asked from where she stood on a step stool trying to reach a can. I looked her over as her shirt rode up, exposing her fit midsection. 

"Awesome." Was my only reply as I leaned further back in my seat to get a look at Jordan. And caused a stabbing pain to shoot up my side. Jordan heard my cry of pain and hopped down off the stepstool and hurried to me. 

  
"Now what'd you go and do that for?" She said helping to straighten me out and lie me back against the couch. I shook my head. 

  
"I'd do it again." I said with a strained voice and Jordan ran a hand through my hair softly. I nuzzled into her touch and wrapped my arms loosely around her waist. "Come sit with me for a little…I'm not hungry yet." I whispered, using the huskiness of my voice fully to my advantage.

 Jordan sighed and I felt her smile against the top of my head. She released me and walked around the couch to stand in front of me. I took her by the belt loops of her jeans and pulled her towards me. Jordan snorted and took my ears with either hand. She carefully straddled my lap and ran her hands over my chest. I leaned forward a little and she kissed me. I held her lips still before deepening the kiss as Jordan turned so that she was sitting beside me with both legs across my lap. I was nudging her backwards with my shoulders when Jordan laid a hand on my chest and pulled away. 

"Hey there, let's not fall off the wagon on the first day Robert Downy Horny." She said and I laughed heartily making my side ache. I grabbed it with a hiss, I must have looked like I had when it first happened because Jordan paled. I just gave her a half apologetic smile and leaned back into the couch. Jordan left her legs over me and snuggled closer to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders gently and lying her head against mine. I wrapped my right arm around her and pulled her against my good side. Jordan lifted the blanket from the floor as I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor. 

"Do you have a sleeping bag?" I asked suddenly and Jordan looked at me like I was nuts. 

**Jordan….**

"Wha?" I asked caught off guard by the random nature of his question. I turned my head to look at him and he pulled the warm, fleece blanket up around us and pulled his legs carefully up onto the couch. We were pretty cramped. I laid my hand against his shoulder and he was shivering. But he wasn't cold. His skin was very hot to the touch. I sighed and maneuvered him so that his head was in my lap. 

"You have a fever." I said before he could answer me. He nodded against my leg and I could feel the heat coming off his face. 

"I don't wanna go back to the hospital." He said quietly from under the blanket which he had pulled up around his head. I smiled and patted his back. 

  
"I'm not gonna make you go back to the hospital." I said and only half meant it. If his fever wasn't gone by the next morning, I was going to take him to the ER. I decided to change the subject.

"So what's this about a sleeping bag?" I asked and Woody snuggled close to me. I laid my arm over him and rubbed soft circles on his back. 

"Well, see there was this episode on the X-Files…" He started and I rolled my eyes and smiled. "And…and Mulder and Scully were stranded in the woods overnight, and Mulder was hurt…and….and he told Scully that he once heard that the best way to regenerate body heat is to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with someone who's already naked." He said and I nodded in understanding. 

"So what did Scully say…I mean after she kicked him in the groin?" I asked with a smile and Woody laughed. 

"She told him that maybe if it rained sleeping bags he'd get lucky." Woody said with a yawn. I nodded. 

"Well, let's just say that's about probably what I would have said." I said bending forward to kiss Woody's forehead, another subtle way of checking his fever. He yawned again and stared glassy-eyed at the television. I let my hand slip under the blanket and gently dragged my nails across his back. 

"Hey, you still owe me a neck rub from…well…from before." He said sleepily and I pulled the blanket back up around him. 

"Why don't we go in the other room then." I whispered close to his ear. I felt heat rise from his body but I was pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with his fever. I helped him to his feet and he dropped the blanket to the crook of his arm before shuffling towards my bedroom. He looked like Linus from the Peanuts gang. 

I looked away from him in a panic when a sudden flash of what a child of ours might look like doing the same thing flashed through my mind. He carefully crawled up the bed and lay on his stomach, stretching his pajama-clad legs out and hanging his feet over the edge of the bed. He bunched the blanket up next to him and wrapped an arm around it. I just smiled and slid onto the bed, straddling the back of his thighs. 

"You alright?" I asked to make sure I wasn't hurting him. He just grunted and squirmed. I took that as a yes. I leaned forward, careful not to lean on his torso and began to knead his shoulders. They relaxed and Woody stretched his arms out to his sides as I worked at the kinks a few days in a hospital bed had given him. I would have thought he was asleep except that every few minutes he would moan, squeak or sigh with relief. I tried not to think about the noises as I focused on playing visual connect the dots with his freckles. I ran my hands down his arms to his fingers, traced along the bumps in his spine, and threaded my fingers through his soft hair. After a few minutes I couldn't help but lean forward and take one of his peach fuzz looking ears with my lips and kiss along the back of his neck. 

"oohhhhhhhh…four weeks is such a very long time." Came his muffled voice from the where he had his face buried in the mattress. I smiled and kissed between his shoulder blades. 

"How bout…" I said kissing across the span of his shoulders. "We come up with a sort of rewards system for good behavior…" I said softly into his ear and Woody's head snapped up. 

"Well I like the sound of that…what ever did you have in mind?" He asked, suddenly wide-awake. I sat up and began rubbing his shoulders again.  

"Well, at the end of each week…you get to choose something...to do…that falls under the restrictions of your injury, but is reasonable for whatever the status of your injury is at that time." I said and Woody nodded. 

"Could this something involve lots of touching!?" he asked hopefully and I nodded. "Yes!" he said laying his head back down and pulling a pillow under his head. 

"So….about this sleeping bag idea…" I asked, hoping Woody would finish the story. He cleared his throat. 

"Oh…well….it never happened…but Scully DID sing to him." Woody said and I got the distinct impression that I was going to soon be serenading my maimed companion. 

"Yeah? What did she sing?" I asked curiously. Woody thought for a moment then yawned out, 

"Three Dog Night…"Joy to the World". I smiled I didn't think I could handle that one in the melancholy state I had found myself in since Woody was shot. I tried to think of something more appropriate. 

"Can you…(yawn)…stay with me Jordan?" He asked and I moved to sit cross-legged beside him on the bed. He lifted his head a little and tucked the pillow more tightly under his head. I assumed he was planning on sleeping in the bed with me.I suddenly felt the need to protect him. It had been the other way around for so long. In all the time we had known each other, it had always been Woody pulling my ass out of the fire. Always Woody trying to protect me and keep me safe. As I sat there looking at him, dozing on MY bed, in my care, I felt the responsibility that I was sure Woody had been feeling for my safety for so long. I felt fiercely protective of him. I ran a hand through his hair and he smiled and took my hand. 

  
"Of course I will." I said and lay down next to him. I draped my right arm over his back possessively and kissed his shoulder. 

"Sing something…sing something so that I know you're still here." Woody said yawning again and snuggling closely to my side. I sighed heavily and then smiled as I began to softly sing. 

There's a saying old, says that love is blind, 

still we're often told, seek and ye shall find. 

So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had, in mind.

Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet, 

He's the big affair, I cannot forget. 

Only man I ever think of with regret. 

I'd like to add his initial to my monogram, 

Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?

There's a somebody I'm longing to see, 

I hope that he, turns out to be, 

Someone who'll watch over me. 

I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood, 

I know I could, always be good, 

To one who'll watch over me. 

Although he may not be the man some girls think of

As handsome, to my heart he carries the key, 

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed, 

Follow my lead, oh how I need, 

Someone to watch over me. 

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed, 

Follow my lead, oh how I need, 

Someone to watch over me, 

Someone to watch, over me. " 

I finished the song and Woody was sleeping soundly. I brushed his bangs out of his eyes and planted a soft kiss on his full, pink lips. I held my hand to his stubbled cheek and made a mental note to shave him the next day. He would most likely sleep through the afternoon and night. I started to rise from the bed. But then I remembered that I had promised to stay with him. I had broken enough promises I made to Woody so I decided I would break that trend by starting anew. I layback down and pulled the comforter up around us before snuggling into Woody's side. 

Around 2 am, I was awakened by a shuffling next to me. I rubbed my eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness of my room. Woody was moaning and mumbling something as he tossed and turned beside me. I was amazed that the pain he must have been feeling in his side didn't wake him up. Whatever he was dreaming must have been 10 times more painful. I sat up and pushed the blankets away from my body. Woody was whimpering and his cries became more frantic. And then I caught it. He was saying my name. 

"Woody!? Woody I'm here, please! Wake up, I'm here, Jordan's right here." I said gently as I held his arms still trying to prevent him from accidentally ripping open his stitches. He struggled a little more before suddenly jolting awake and pulling me to his bare, sweaty chest. 

I wrapped my arms tightly around his chest and he buried his head in my shoulder. I felt a lump in my throat when I realized he was quietly crying. I rocked him back and forth, whispering reassuringly that I was with him and we were okay. I sighed when I heard him sniffle. I hadn't realized how much the shooting had affected him. 

After a few minutes, his body cooled, his breathing slowed and I could no longer feel his heart pounding against my stomach where he lay wrapped around me. I reached to turn on the light and he pulled my hand back. He was ashamed. 

"Woody, it's alright. I just want to look at your side." I said sighing as I smoothed back his damp hair. He pulled slowly away from me and lay on his side with his back to me. I turned on the dim light and pulled my now damp t-shirt over my head and grabbed another, pulling it on quickly as I walked slowly around the bed to the side Woody was facing. I dropped to my knees and he wiped his eyes with the back of one hand. 

His glassy eyes bounced between my own and the wall. I rolled him onto his back and he looked down, remembering for the first time since he woke, that he had a wound there. He hissed when he saw the redness around the stitches. I touched the edges gently and his skin was hot around it. 

"Well…it's a little infected…you were laying on it all this time and it's festering a little." I said cringing as I stood and held out my hand to him. He looked at it curiously and then back at my face, his eyes asking a question his voice was too shaky to speak aloud. 

"I'm gonna clean it out nice and good so you don't have to go back to the hospital." I said and his hand was quickly in mine. I helped him to rise from the bed and we moved slowly towards the bathroom. I waited till I had him sitting on the edge of the sink as I dabbed his stitches with peroxide to ask about the dream. Just as I was about to inquire into it, he interrupted my thought. 

"Is he dead?" he asked in a whisper and I sighed, remembering how the paramedics had checked the hopped up shooter amidst the chaos. I nodded sullenly and Woody shook his head. 

"He…he…he was gonna kill you, Jordan. If I had listened to you and not gone for the gun, he would have shot you and…and you'd be dead." He stopped briefly to look up into my eyes so close to his. He looked at my lips, my chin, and my nose. He looked down unabashedly at my breasts, my hips, ran a hand up my arm and held it steadily on my shoulder. 

"You'd be dead…and…and I'd be lost without you." He said sadly and I watched him swallow a lump in his throat as he gently shook his head. 

I set my hand against his side, thinking briefly about the scar that would surely be there when it healed. It was wrong what he had done. As if he had read my mind, Woody lifted my hand away from the gnarled bit of skin and laid it against his heart. 

"Would you be…be lost without me?" He asked looking sideways at the shower stall, his damp bangs falling back in his face. 

I took a deep breath and thought back to standing outside of that trauma room, covered in blood. I thought back to lighting candles in the chapel. I thought of the pleads I had made to a God I had promised to reconcile with if he'd allow me to keep the man I loved. I thought of dancing at the Pogue, the tender kiss under the stars, the chipper young detective with horrible taste in ties.

I swallowed a lump in my own throat and lay my forehead to his. "More than you'll ever know." I said and my voice cracked. Woody bent his chin and took my lips in his. He ignored the pain in his side and pulled me into his arms, hungry to feel me alive. I wrapped my arms around his back and kissed him hungrily. I needed to feel that he was alive as well. He kissed my lips, my cheeks, my neck. He pulled the clean shirt I had just put on up under my arms and his hands traveled swiftly over my skin. My warm skin. I touched his face and his neck. I pressed my lips to his neck, nearly euphoric at the feel of blood pumping under them. I let my hands travel across his back and down his thighs from where he sat on the sink. Then I pulled quickly away and pulled my shirt back down. Woody's eyes searched mine for an answer. He didn't understand what was wrong. 

"Jordan what's the matter?" He asked, his breathing really labored more than it should have been for what little we had just done. I shook my head. 

"There isn't….we…there are other ways to feel alive Woody." I said laying a hand on his knee. "I don't wanna do this now…you know? Like in the heat of the moment?" I asked and he nodded. His head quickly snapped towards me. 

"But…but you'll stay with me right?" he asked and I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. I took his hand and lead him out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. I sat down on the bed and he stood in front of me with his hands on his hips. 

"Under one condition…and I know this is going to sound REALLY hypocritical." I said with a hint of a smile. 

"What?" Woody asked looking a little afraid. I stopped smiling and took his hand and brought it to my lips. 

"Talk to me? Confide in me?" I said and Woody sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Jordan…let's just…" He trailed off then unfolded his arms with resolve and looked at me pointedly. 

"What happened in the nightmare?" I asked and he sighed. 

"I didn't go for the gun." He said and I realized that would be the last we made mention of his nightmare. He didn't say anything more and he didn't really need to. I could tell by his calling out of my name, and the anguish he so earnestly felt as he cried in my arms that things had ended badly for me. I just nodded sadly and reached for him. He welcomed my arms and we stayed there, me kneeling, him standing at the edge of the bed, for a while. 

When he finally tired, I turned out the light and guided him into bed. We embraced carefully and I ran my nose softly up and down his cheek. He kissed my lips gently then pulled back and brought our entwined hands up between us. He laid my hand against his chest and then laid his own hand against mine. 

"You're right," he whispered and laid his forehead against mine. "There ARE other ways to know we're alive." He said and I smiled against his cheek and snuggled closer to him, if that was at all possible. We fell into a deep sleep and Woody had no more nightmares. 

**Woody…**

When I woke up, I kissed the tip of Jordan's nose before carefully extracting myself from her to go to the bathroom. I slowly crept into the bathroom and left the door open. I was in the middle of taking care of business when I heard Jordan call sleepily from the bedroom. 

"Well, I hear the race horse has awakened." She said and I smile as I handled the obligatory shake before flushing. When I shuffled back into the room, Jordan was standing in front of her mirror pulling on a tight fitting pair of jeans. I leaned against the door jam. She turned to face me and righted the tank top she had on. Jordan smiled and sauntered over to me, producing a razor from behind her back. I looked it over and took it from her hand. 

"You need a shave." She said and I grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her towards me, rubbing the rough stubble on my cheeks against her soft skin. She screeched and pulled away, hurrying to the bathroom. I followed her and took a seat back on the sink counter. Jordan filled the sink with hot, steamy water and plopped a wash cloth into the sink before grabbing some "girly" shaving cream. I protested it's use on my face. 

"Oh come on! Don't be such a baby! You'll smell like peaches!" Jordan said as she lathered up the foam in her hands. I scooted backwards toward the mirror. 

"I don't wanna smell like peaches! I'm a guy!" I teased as Jordan came at me with her pink foamy hands laughing. She smeared it all over my face and I laughed. She took my head and turned it towards the mirror.  
  


"I look like a gay Santa Clause." I said chuckling at my pink beard. Jordan laughed and turned my head back towards her. She told me to stay still and brought the razor to my face. 

"With the grain! With the grain!!" I said urgently and Jordan changed the way she was holding the razor. She cleaned me up then smacked my cheeks gently. 

"Like a baby's butt." She teased and ran her fingers across my cheeks. I kissed her fingertips. 

"So…you must be starving!" she said as I carefully slid off of the sink. I put a hand to my stomach and rubbed it. 

"Yeah, I am actually what you got?" I asked and Jordan went to the pantry and began to rifle. 

"ummmmm…how bout I order a pie?" She asked and I smiled. 

"Can we get one of them…ah….ah….Hawaiian pizzas?" I asked and Jordan nodded as she munched on some wheat thins while dialing the phone. "If the parlor will deliver at…" She turned to look at the clock. "11 am." She said and I went to the couch and lay down. 

When Jordan had finished ordering the pizza, she came to sit with me on the couch. She slumped down next to me and took the remote from my hand. 

"So any ground rules for being in your home all day without supervision while you're at work?" I asked with a smile and Jordan sighed. 

"No…not really…just don't order porn on my tv." She said smiling and I laughed. I laid a had on her thigh and ran it up to her hip. 

"What do I need porn for, woman, I got you…" I said and Jordan smiled and pushed my hand away. 

"You seem pretty confident about your…abilities…aren't you nervous?" She asked smirking like she was the one in control of the conversation. I smirked back and leaned towards her, whispering right into her ear. 

"No…because I'm an absolute animal in bed." I said proudly and laid back against the couch, leaving Jordan speechless. She turned to look at me, trying to tell if I was joking. I just kept on with my Mona Lisa smile and stared at the television. 

"We might have to leave an extra week for rehabilitation then if you think you're going to need ALL your strength." She said and I turned to look at her. 

"No no…4 weeks will be sufficient." I said taking the remote back. I sighed and flipped through the channels, not really paying attention to what was going on, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"So…ahh…" I trailed off wondering if I might earn a smack for what I was about to say. "…how bout you?" I asked and Jordan looked at me puzzled.   
"How bout me WHAT?" she asked in shock. I smiled coyly and bumped her with my elbow. 

"You know…in bed…how are YOU?" I asked wagging my eyebrows. Jordan scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. 

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see…"She said happily and stood to go find money for the pizza. She started to walk past me but then stopped and bent down to my ear. 

"I'm gonna rock your world…" She said and I swallowed hard. "You might not be able to walk for a week." She said and I began to cough as she sauntered into her room to find her purse. 

**Jordan…**

Around three a.m. we sat together on the couch watching old MacGyver reruns. 

"That MacGyver…he's so crafty." Woody said yawning as he flopped his legs across my lap. I let slip a sympathy yawn and grabbed the tips of Woody's toes. They were chilly and I rubbed them between my hands to get them warm. I pulled on his big toe and he yanked it away. 

"Hey! I might need that later!" He said chuckling, his voice husky with sleep. "What you gonna tell me you have a foot fetish now?" He asked and I decided to play along.

"Actually…one of my roommates in college was into reflexology and she told me some…interesting things about pressure points in the feet." I said and raised my eyebrows at him. Woody's eyes widened and then he scoffed, wiggling his toes. 

"Like what?" He teased and I started to rub the bottom of his foot softly. 

"Well…she said there were certain pressure points in the foot…that uhh…that could enhance foreplay." I said wagging my eyebrows. Woody narrowed his eyes at me. 

"You're lying!" He said folding his arms and relaxing further back into the arm of the couch. I just shook my head and continued to rub his foot. "Okay, so where exactly ARE these points?" He asked, seeming a little interested now. 

"Beats me. My roommate was the reflexologist." I said standing and dropping his foot to the couch. Woody chuckled as I headed towards the bedroom and looked out through the glass doors as I changed for bed. 

"You coming?" I asked and Woody smiled, preparing himself to get up off the couch. He slowly made his way to the bedroom and I hopped onto the bed. Woody went into the bathroom and came out a minute later in just the maroon sleep pants. They were my favorite. Woody crawled onto the bed next to me and routinely laid down and flicked on the light so that I could take a look at his stitches. They looked better than they had the day before and I kissed the top of his head before turning out the light and cuddling up next to him. 

"Hey Jordan?" He whispered and I suddenly got the impression that he was a pain in the ass to his brother when they were kids and trying to sleep at night. 

"Hmmm?" I groaned and Woody rubbed my cheek with his nose, stopping at my ear. 

"it's after midnight…26 more days." He whispered and I smiled against his cheek as we drifted off to sleep. 

**Woody…                                                                                          **

The next day was Monday and I would be spending my first full 9-5 alone in Jordan's place. I crept out of bed early, before she had to wake up, and crept into the other room to find sticky notes. I made coffee, took a few looks at how my healing was coming along, thought about a shower but then remembered that I wasn't allowed to take a shower without telling Jordan first in case something happened. And it could only be a quick rinse off anyway, due to the fact that I couldn't reach anywhere without hurting myself. 

"So….do I get to be bored all day alone here?" I asked as Jordan pulled her coat on and grabbed her keys. She smiled and flipped her hair out of her collar. 

"Well…not exactly…I made a call." She said and I looked at her puzzled. Just as I was about to ask who she had called, there was a nock at the door. Jordan smiled and pulled open the door…to reveal my brother leaning against the door jam with an armload of stuff.

"Who's your Daddy?!" He said happily and I shook my head.

"I wanna go back to the hospital." I said trying to stand up from the couch. Cal sauntered into the apartment, taking Jordan's face and planting a big kiss on her cheek. 

"Good to see ya, Jordy…now come on big brother, I'm not that bad!" He said smacking my shoulder and throwing me off balance. 

"whoa! Easy there Humpty Dumpty!" Cal said grabbing my shoulders and holding me upright. Jordan chuckled. 

"Have a nice day boys…and Cal…try not to get him killed? I'm thinking of keeping him around for a while." She said winking and Cal threw her a half assed salute. 

"But…but but, I hate him!" I said sadly and Jordan hurried back over to me, gave me a quick kiss and said 'you'll be fine.' As she hurried out the door she rummaged through her purse for something and plucked the sticky note I had put in there curiously out and read it. '26' was all it said. As the door swung shut she glanced up and smiled sweetly at me. I smiled back and sighed when the door closed with a click. 

'Earth to Woodrow!" Cal's annoying childish taunting pulled me out of my pleasant daydream. "Christ! What kinda drugs are they givin' you!?" He said then whispered, "and do ya have any extras?" he asked and I just stared at him. 

"It's a felony to accept prescription drugs from an undercover cop." I said, turning to go into the bathroom and take a shower. 

"You're not undercover." Cal said flopping down on the couch and flipping through the channels. 

"Like I'd ever tell the cops that as they're hauling your ass outta here." I said and grabbed a towel from the bedroom. 

"I'm gonna take a shower, should you hear a loud thump it's probably just me crashing to the floor and bleeding out…so don't worry about it." I said casually as I passed him to go into the bathroom. He just nodded and grunted, returning his focus to the T.V. 

When I came out about 15 minutes later, Cal was making popcorn and pouring us each a soda.

"Hey, I didn't know if you were allowed any beer so I brought you some ginger ale." He said smiling as he set the glasses down on the coffee table. 

"Just like mom gave us when we were sick." I said softly and lifted the glass to my mouth. Cal just nodded and smiled patting me gently on the back. It was a warm moment, and then Cal killed it. 

"So what do you wanna watch first Girls Gone Wild or Greatest Moments in Football?" He asked and I shook my head. 

"Nice selection Calvin." I said taking the boxes from him. He raised his eyebrows as I looked the cover for Girls Gone Wild over. I looked back over to Cal and he was nodding. 

"Yeah? Yeah? Yeah?" he said over and over before I cleared my throat and threw the box in his lap. "Come on Woodrow! It's a…tastefully shot little piece of documentary film making." He said and I glanced sideways at him. 

"Well…as long as it's educational…what the Hell." I said rolling my eyes as Cal jumped up and put the tape in the VCR. 

Three hours later we were putting on our own mock rock concert to David Bowie's "Major Tom" when Jordan called.   
"Staying out of trouble?" She asked and glanced over to Cal, standing on the coffee table with one of Jordan's wooden spoons to his mouth singing. I threw a pillow at him and he hopped off the table and ran over to take the phone from me. 

"Hey Jordy!…uh huh…oh yeah, he's fine, I changed his diaper and gave him a bottle about an hour ago…"He said winking at me and I tried in vain to get the phone back. "Now ….can he have any snacks before dinner or will that spoil his appetite, cause he did have a little temper tantrum when I wouldn't give him a cookie at lunch…uh huh…yeah, almost shook himself RIGHT outta the high chair." Cal said and I pointed menacingly at him and mouthed 'I will KILL you', to which he told Jordan he was going to give the phone back to me. 

"A little boy here wants to say hi." He said slapping the phone into my hand. I shook my head at him and put the phone to my ear. 

"Your brother's a trip Woody." She said chuckling. I very sarcastically laughed and pointed at him once again before Jordan spoke again. 

"Alright well I should be home in a little while, you want anything while I'm out?" She asked and I nodded at Cal. 

"Yeah swing by my apartment and pick up my gun if you could…grab an extra clip too if you think of it, he's a quick little bastard." I said and Jordan laughed. Cal stuck his tongue out at me before turning and rifling through the refrigerator. 

"I'll see you in a little bit." She said and I 'uh huhed' before hanging up the phone. 

When Jordan finally got home, Cal and I were sitting at the kitchen table playing poker. 

"I will see your 5 Ritz peanut butter crackers…and raise you….3 raisins." Cal said pushing forward three little raisins. Jordan shook her head and threw her keys down on the table. 

"Hey boys, so how was the rest of your day?" She asked threading the fingers of one hand through my hair. She looked down at my hand. "Ouch…I would fold." She said and I grunted throwing down the cards. 

"Thanks a lot." I said chuckling as she bent to capture my lips. I kissed her tenderly, relaxing into her touch as she held my face. 

"He's staring at us I can feel his eyes." I said irately and Jordan chuckled. We both turned our heads to see Cal grinning like a ghost and leaning on both hands watching us. 

"Can I help you?" I asked smirking and Cal shook his head. 

"No but I think Jordan could." He said winking at her and I stood from the table, my body blocking Jordan a little. 

"Good night Calvin." I said and he raised his eyebrows mouthing an 'O'. 

"Well…"Cal said standing from the table. "I guess my work here is done." He said and Jordan walked him to the door. I followed slowly behind. 

"Same time tomorrow?" She asked and Cal turned as he opened the door. 

"Well…I have a lot of homework to finish Ms. C…but if I bring it with me I might be able to get some done after I put him down for a nap." Cal said pretending to stroke imaginary braids and pop imaginary gum. Jordan laughed and smacked his arm as he skipped out the door. 

"Night bro." He called as he headed toward the elevator. I grunted in response and Jordan shut the door turning back to me. She glanced down at my stomach and I lifted the edge of my undershirt for her to get a look at it. She nodded and then stood on her tiptoes to kiss my lips. I wrapped an arm around her and sighed. 

"I'm so glad you're home." I said with a chuckle and Jordan laughed. 

"Oh come on…you love him." She said laughing and ran her hands gently up and down my back. She kissed my shoulder and then announced that she was going to change and I should think about what I wanted for dinner. I set the table and when she came back in, she asked what I had decided. 

"Hot dogs and Mac and Cheese." I said proudly and Jordan smiled. 

"Deal." She said and began to pull out pots and pans. 

Later we sat together by the large glass windows of the apartment watching as more snow fell on Boston. "So, what kind of fun do we have in store for tonight?" Jordan asked and I sighed and pulled her closer to me, snuggling into the warmth of the large comforter we had pulled off the bed to take to the window with us. I looked around the silent, dark apartment. 

"This is just fine with me." I said wrapping my arms around her and looking up at the snow filled sky. 

**Jordan…**

I smiled and rubbed my cheek against his chest, breathing in the smell of Tide and Woody that lingered on it. I looked up at the snow falling and sighed. 

"Feeling a little homesick Farm Boy?" I asked and Woody was silent for a few minutes. 

"Yeah…actually…winter is the only time I really get homesick here." He said honestly. "Winter was always my favorite time of year back home. We rarely ever had a Christmas without snow…Cal and I would go out from breakfast to dinner sledding and picking snowball fights with kids in the neighborhood. Come in at night and go straight to the kitchen where we knew our mom would be waiting with ginger snaps and hot chocolate." He said and I silently wished I had those sort of memories with my mom. 

"It sounds wonderful. I can understand why you'd miss that." I said almost sadly and Woody rubbed my arms under the blanket gently. He nodded and looked down at me. 

"Come on Cavanaugh spill it…you must have SOME great memories of your mom." He said and I looked past the snow at the street lights, an almost eerie glow encircling them. I thought hard back to before my mom had died. 

"This ah…this one year when I was about six, there was this sudden early snow storm in November." I began, continuing to look down at the street. "I was sitting at our front window looking out at the street when all of a sudden, Dad's car pulled up. I didn't know what time it was but I knew he was early because in those days I was usually in bed when he came home. I …uh…I ran to the door and jumped into his arms when he came in the door. I could smell the snow soaked into his coat and it felt cool against my rosy cheeks. He held me up and kissed me then put me down on the floor and covered my mouth with his hand and we snuck into the living room. My mom was….was sitting on the couch reading and we yelled 'surprise' so loud I thought she might throw the book at us from across the room. She put her hand to her heart and laughed. She didn't…laugh too often so I just remember grinning from ear to ear. Dad went to where she was by the couch and pulled her into his arms, spinning around.

 He kissed her and put her down when she laughed and asked what he was doing home so early. He said on a count of the snow, they let all the guys with families head out early. And…he whispered something to her. She looked over at me and smiled and then nodded to Dad. She asked me if maybe I wanted to stay up a little late tonight and I was…I was so happy that I bounced up and down on my feet just nodding away. She came and took me by the hand and took me to the coat closet. I looked for Dad and he was hurrying up the stairs to their room, calling down that he'd be ready in a few minutes. Mom got me all bundled up in my snow pants and snow suit, wrapped a scarf around me and put on my favorite blue show hat with the little poofy ball on top. Dad came down a few minutes later and he was wearing jeans and a sweater and had the scarf I got him for his birthday on. 

He grabbed the coat he used to shovel snow and then helped my mom to get her big coat on and she put on her gloves and a scarf and snow hat. Then he uhh…he grabbed my little wooden sled and took it to the door and hurried out into the snow. The sidewalks hadn't been shoveled yet so he ran and set it down in the snow and called for me to hop on as he picked up the rope to pull it with. I hurried down the stairs and hopped on, calling for my mom to watch me.she kept saying,  "I am baby, I am" and laughing as she ran after us. Dad walked real fast down the street, swerving back and forth. We stopped at this little hill down the street and they took turns pulling me down it on the sled. I remember looking at the streetlights through the snow. There was this eerie…almost magical glow around them you know, like you might have thought things were like at the North Pole when you were a kid. " I stopped and looked out the window again. "It was wonderful." I said and Woody kissed me at my temple. 

"Sounds like it." He said and smiled against my cheek. "So then what happened?" He asked and I smiled, laying my head on his shoulder. 

"Well…we stayed out for only a little over an hour but to me it felt like we'd spent the whole night there. I was sitting on my sled eating snow off of my glove when Dad said it was time to go. I must have been tired because I didn't protest when he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my mom grabbed the rope of the sled and pulled it along side of her. She fixed my hat so that it covered my ears then took Dad's free hand with hers. We just walked back in silence, admiring the view and listening to the wind sweep over the snow. I fell asleep somewhere between the hill and my house. When I woke up, I was in my bed and I crept down to the living room and there were my parents, asleep all wrapped up together sitting on the window seat." I looked down at how Woody and I were sitting and smiled. "Kinda like this." I said and he chuckled. 

"See…when you try real hard, there are always some good memories that you can think of." Woody said yawning and we listened quietly to the tick of the clock on the kitchen wall. 

"So what's your best memory, Woody?" I asked yawning and he kissed the top of my head and looked around the dark apartment again then back out at the snow still softly falling. 

"I think I might be making it right now." He said and I turned my head and held his cheek as I kissed him softly. 

**Woody…**

I woke up around 4, my body aching from sitting on the window for so long. I nudged Jordan and she didn't wake up, but wrapped her arms around my neck and scooched onto my lap. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I didn't want to wake her but I was worried I might bust open the stitches. I looked into her sleeping face and decided that popping a stitch was worth it. I braced myself and lifted her with my legs. Luckily, Jordan is very light. I started to lift her but sat back down. I really didn't want to go back to the hospital. 

"Jordan." I whispered and hissed when the stitches tightened. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, taking in the sight of me holding my side. 

"Woody!? What'd you do?" She asked helping me to sit up. I cringed as I pulled the comforter under my arm and started to move into the bedroom. Jordan held me up and helped me to climb into bed. 

"I was gonna pick you up…" I said and rolled onto my back stiffening my entire body and looking much like I imagine a corpse. Jordan looked me over pathetically. "It was supposed to be romantic." I said sadly and she chuckled leaning forward to kiss my head as she lifted up my shirt to check out the stitches. 

"Oh yeah…and then we could take a fluorescent light lit walk through the emergency room doors afterward?" She said and I huffed. 

"So Doc…will I live?" I asked and Jordan ran her fingers softly across the wound and down to the little spot below my navel. 

"Yep." She said before turning off the light and sliding into bed next to me. She threw the comforter over me and kissed my cheek before rolling to her side away from me. I missed her touch but I knew she didn't want to hurt me. I scooted over next to her so that our arms were just touching and she took my hand silently in her own. I squeezed it gently once, saying 'I love you' in the easiest way one can. I waited for a response and it came back in the form of a soft, feminine squeeze. I smiled and took a deep breath before dozing off to sleep. 

**Jordan…**

When I woke in the morning, the sun was just slipping over the building next door and peeking into my living room windows. I glanced through the amber light into the kitchen, off handedly wondering if I had set the coffeepot last night. As I sat up, I realized my hand was still loosely grasped between both of Woody's as he lay on his right side keeping the wounded side elevated. I smiled and held his large hands to my lips before gently extracting my equally smaller one from the middle. I slipped out of bed and into the shower quietly, allowing him as much rest as his healing body needed. 

I watched him sleep as I dressed at the end of the bed. Before I left for work, I snuck back into the room and taped a note to my pillow. 

**Woody…**

When I woke in the morning, the living room was already fully illuminated with late morning sun. I turned my head towards the window at the busy sound of trash trucks and the unending symphony of construction work that cities are famous for composing. I grumbled a few choice suggestions for what the guy running the jackhammer could do with the tool when he was finished and rose to a sitting position in bed. I ran my fingers brusquely over the stitches in what had become a morning routine and then looked beside me to where Jordan had slept as I scratched my head tiredly. As I was about to turn my head away, I noticed something on Jordan's pillow that's bright yellow color contrasted with the white of her pillow. I gingerly plucked it from the pillow and held it close to my face to read. 

'25' 

I smiled and leaned over and put it in my pants pocket. Then I heard a knock at the door. I rolled my eyes and went to open it. Cal was standing there with a McDonald's breakfast bag. 

"Truce?" He said pathetically and held out the bag. I eyed him cautiously.   
"You didn't put a razor in it or anything did you?" I asked taking the bag and patting his back as he walked past me into the room. Cal just smiled and commented that I was already starting to walk better. 

Around 4:30 Cal had me propped up against the window, while he hung out it dropping water balloons on people. We kept pretty much to nailing teenagers and guys in business suits. It was a hoot, they all thought it was some punk assed adolescents. Cal had brought a water balloon slingshot with him for me to use since he didn't think Jordan would appreciate him accidentally bumping me and having me drop like a brick to the sidewalk below. 

Just as we were reeling from the string of words that just came out of the guy wearing an Armani suit's mouth, the door to the apartment opened and in walked a wet, fuming Jordan. Cal laughed and then coughed to cover it. 

"It raining out there Jordan?" He asked holding to balloons behind his back. She just looked from me to Cal and back at me. 

"You two suck." She said walking past Cal to stand in front of me. I smiled. 

"It was all him, I could fall out the window if I leaned that far!" I protested. Jordan just smirked. 

"Or if I head butted you in the chest!" She said and Cal laughed. 

"Hey, in my own defense you look different from this high up…" Cal said taking Jordan by the cheeks and bending her forward so that he was looking at the top of her head. "Oh yeah, there it is! That's who I dropped the balloon on." Cal said and I smiled behind my hand. Jordan pulled away from him and stormed into her room to change. 

"Good night Calvin!" She called as she slammed the bathroom door shut. Cal looked around the apartment and at the little puddle on the floor where Jordan had stood. 

"Well…I guess my work here is done." He said proudly. 

"Don't forget my keys!" I called as he headed to the door. "And if you bring any women to my apartment I'll have to take out my gun and shoot you!" I called as he hurried out the door. I just shook my head, secretly appreciating that some things never change. 

Later Jordan and I had a quiet meal of spaghetti. I made the sauce while Jordan cooked the pasta. 

"You know one night we should have this with alfredo sauce…that's my favorite." Jordan said and I nodded, making it a point to watch the Food Network sometime in the next few weeks to perfect the art of making alfredo sauce. I dipped the wooden spoon into the spaghetti sauce and carried a little bit over to Jordan. She turned from the stove and smiled, remembering the last time this happened, I'm sure. She bent forward and took a taste of it, wiping the corners of her mouth when she was through. I watched her then leaned down to her when she looked up and kissed her lips. When I pulled back she was smiling. 

"What was that for?" She asked and my face suddenly grew serious. 

"For not getting to do it that night." I said simply, referring to the almost kiss that was interrupted by her computer. She smiled and kissed me again. 

"Then this," She said kissing me deeply. "Is for pretending those kisses in California didn't mean anything." She said and I smiled widely. We finished cooking and then ate our spaghetti in comfortable silence. 

**Jordan…**

The next morning I woke to find Woody already up. He was sitting on the couch watching sports center, eating a bagel with cream cheese on it. As I entered the living room he smiled at me and pointed to the counter where an egg bagel with cream cheese sat waiting for me. I smiled and picked it up so that I could sit on the couch with Woody. We took turns complaining about the Bruins before I announced that I was going to ask Cal to eat dinner with us tonight. Woody shrugged his shoulders and said 'Why not.' Before returning his attention to the hockey highlights. 

"Why don't you go get a shower now while I'm here and call me if you need any help." I said and Woody stood from the couch and headed towards the bathroom. He stopped before he got to the glass bedroom doors and turned to me with a smile. 

"Help!" he said playfully and I rolled my eyes at him, shooing him off with my free hand. When I finished my bagel I crept to the door which was part way opened and peeked in. Woody was standing under the gentle current of water behind the frosted glass. I looked him over, biting my lip. He was right; 28 days was definitely a long time. 

I coughed to let him no I was there, and he modestly turned so that his side was to me and opened the glass door. He stuck his head out and smiled, shampoo dripping around his face. 

"Hey…care to join?" He asked over the rush of water and I smiled. 

"Nah…" I said trying to peek around the glass door. "I think this is more of a spectator's sport…that and I can't be held responsible for what I might do in there." I said and Woody chuckled deeply and closed the door. 

"Suit yourself." He said turning his back to me and sticking his head under the water. I sighed dejectedly and then looked at the mirror and smiled. 

**Woody…**

When I got out of the shower, I carefully dried myself off and went to the mirror to…well…to check myself out. When I got there though, a smile spread across my face. '24' was written in the steam across the bottom of the glass. I traced my fingers over it, imagining Jordan sneakily doing the same before using my towel to erase it.  

When I came out of the bathroom, Cal was already over. He was really early. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked him and threw Jordan a shy smile letting her know I had gotten her message. 

"You need some fresh air, brother! You've been stuck up in this place like a hermit so I am gonna take you to the park, let you stretch your legs." Cal said and I smiled. 

"Sounds good." I said as Jordan passed me to go take a shower. 

"Have fun boys." She said throwing me a pair of jeans and socks to put on. I smiled and told her to have a good day at work. Cal watched me trying to get my shoes on before finally dropping to his knees in front of the couch. 

"Here let me do it." He said taking the laces from my hands and tying my shoes tightly. He smiled and I knew what he was thinking.

"I used to do this for YOU ya know." I said and Cal nodded. His face grew serious and he held onto my shoulder to stand up. 

"You were a great brother Woody. I don't think I told you that enough growing up, but…ah…I don't know if it makes any difference now." He said and shrugged his shoulders helping me to my feet. I patted his shoulder and then mussed his shaggy hair. 

"It makes a difference. And you were a great little brother, Cal." I said and he smiled proudly. I was his idol growing up and I had forgotten that until I watched his chest puff up proudly when I said this. 

He helped me get my coat on and we headed out the door to go to the park. 

We spent most of the day walking in the park and I damn near had a heart attack when Cal bought me lunch in town. When we got back to Jordan's building, I saw that here SUV was already parked outside and I sped up walking. 

"Easy there Fido, she ain't going anywhere." Cal said holding onto my arms as we walked I just smiled and hopped up the steps to the lobby. 

We entered the apartment and Cal helped me get my coat off before flinging off his own. I threw my gloves and scarf onto the couch and slipped my sneakers off by the door. Cal and I rounded the corner of the kitchen and Jordan stood at the counter pouring two cups of hot chocolate. I looked past her to the plate beside them. It was piled with ginger snaps. Cal gasped and held onto my shoulder. 

"Woody! You gotta keep this chick! She's PSYCHIC!" He said innocently and I laughed. 

"You numbskull! I told her the hot chocolate and ginger snaps stories!" I said rolling my eyes at my brother's naivety. Jordan chuckled and told us to come and get em'. 

Cal rushed to the counter and grabbed a fistful of cookies, kissed Jordan on the cheek and then picked up his mug before taking it to the end of the counter. I stood by the wall still, looking at the nostalgic treat Jordan had prepared for us. She looked over at me smiling. 

"Dig in Woodrow!" Cal said through a mouthful of cookies. I nodded silently and strolled over to Jordan. 

"You're the greatest." I whispered pulling her into my arms. 

"I know." She said and I chuckled before kissing he lips gently, wrapping my arms around her waist. 

"Jeez, I'm glad you never thanked Mom that way, Wood." Cal said sipping his cocoa. I turned my eyes to him and laughed. 

"So you staying for dinner or what?" I asked and Cal smiled. 

"Can I?" He asked excitedly and Jordan nodded.   
"Only if you stop shoving cookies down your throat." She said and Cal placed half a cookie back on his plate and smiled. I reached past Jordan and plucked a cookie from the plate before taking my own cocoa and moving to the other side of the table. We talked for a few minutes while Jordan prepared dinner and then I announced that I was going to wash up and ordered Cal to set the table. 

**Jordan…**

Woody excused himself to the bathroom before volunteering Cal to set the table. Cal just shook his head and watched Woody walk off before inquiring into where the plates and stuff were. I showed him and the proceeded to ask about what they had done that day. In the middle of Cal's tale, I was trying to reach a pot from a high shelf.  

"Here let me get that for you." Cal said suddenly from right behind me. He pinned me playfully between his body and the counter as he reached high above me and grabbed the pot I was reaching for. He brought it down slowly, still holding me against the counter and I laughed. 

"Now I know why you drive Woody nuts sometimes," I said and Cal leaned his hands on the counter around me. 

"And why's that?" He asked playfully and I poked him in the chest.   
"I could have been doing 5 other things in the time it took you to hold me against the counter and reach that pot." I said and Cal and I laughed. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and spotted Woody standing in the bedroom doorway, his eyes unreadable. I pushed Cal away casually and he turned to see what was up. 

"Hey! How ya doing boy? Look I was good and set the table!" Cal said and Woody smiled half heartedly as he shuffled toward the table. He didn't say a word. Cal and I looked at one another uncomfortably, realizing how what just happened might have looked. 

"And shorty over here needed some help getting a bowl down." Cal said teasing and I smiled. Woody just coughed and looked down at his plate as he sat down.

**Woody…**

When I came out of the bathroom I hadn't expected to see my brother pressed up against the woman I love in the kitchen. It caught me completely off guard and I just froze in the bedroom doorway. They were laughing and Cal was cornering Jordan in with a hand on the counter on either side of her. Jordan caught sight of me first and pushed Cal away. He turned towards me and made some joke about setting the table and Jordan being short. I just nodded as my head swam. 

We spent dinner uncomfortably talking about our days travels, and Jordan told me that everyone at the morgue missed me. 

When Cal was leaving, he asked me to walk him out to the elevator. 

"Woody, man…nothing was going on with me and Jordan there. It was completely innocent, I was just messing with her!" Cal said quietly as we waited for the elevator to rise. I nodded, that fake half smile plastered across my lips again. Cal watched me curiously for a moment. He could read me better than anyone and I know he could see how hurt I was. 

"Wow…" Cal said as if a revelation had just hit him. I turned my eyes up to his matching wide blue eyes. 

"What?" I asked shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. 

"You're in love with her." He said folding his arms and staring at me in amazement. I didn't answer just looked down at me feet. "I mean…wow…I just…I thought you were still getting over all your issues with Annie…but now I can see it…you're head over heels for Jordan aren't you?" he asked and I looked up into his eyes. 

"So…" I said and sighed looking back at the door and dropping my voice a little. "So much that I almost can't breathe sometimes." I said and Cal shook his head. 

"Jesus…I mean…Jesus. I just thought before…when…when you were home that you were just trying to get in this chick's pants…" He said and I cut him off. 

"I haven't even had sex with her yet." I said and if it was at all possible, Cal's eyes grew wider. 

"Are you kidding me?! Woody Hoyt head over heels, head long, passionately in love with a woman he's never even slept with!?" Cal said and I smacked him on the side of his head.   
"Will you keep it down?!" I whispered and he shook his head. 

"This is too big…this is just too big…I mean …like…do you…" He said and looked at the door. "Do you like wanna marry her?" he asked and I just raised my eyes to his. 

"Holy shit man!" Cal said turning and pacing in the hallway. "You're a wreck." He said looking me over. 

"Yeah I know…this is what being in love does to you Cal…I'm a mess! I can't think straight half the time, I get all…all sick feeling and stuff around her…it's like someone took out half my brain and filled the space with everything Jordan!" I said and ran a hand through my hair. Cal stopped pacing and looked me over. 

"Come here." He said smiling and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I smiled and patted the back of his head. 

"Thanks man." I said holding him as tightly as my condition would allow. Cal pulled back and took my face in his hands. 

"My big brother…in love." He said shaking his head and then patted my cheeks. "Well…ah…I'm gonna get outta here. I'll see ya later okay?" He said and I nodded as he stepped onto the elevator. We smiled at each other one last time and Cal looked back at the door. 

"Man…if you weren't my brother." He said playfully and I rolled my eyes at him as the doors shut. 

I turned back around and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Jordan leaning against the door smiling. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. 

"You coming in?" She asked and I stared at her for a long moment. She was trying to pretend like she hadn't just heard all that. I sighed and smiled as I walked back towards her. I stopped in the doorway and kissed her. She held my lips to hers and kissed me deeply. When I pulled back Jordan ran her hands softly down my face and I smiled, taking one of them and heading back into the apartment. 

----------------------------------------

For the next seven days, Jordan allowed me to test the waters of life outside of her apartment. I was starting to go stir crazy and Cal stayed away for the whole week for fear of having his head ripped off. During that week I knew what it was like to be one of those tigers at the zoo pacing back and forth in their cage. I would stay inside most of the day then Jordan would get off work an hour early and take me out somewhere. It didn't matter where we went just as long as it was outdoors and I didn't have to walk fast. We spent the nights of that week cuddled together on the couch watching movies or television. By the end of the week I was back to my charming self and had plans in mind for Jordan. I felt like I had been a burden to her and I wanted to make time, if only for that one night, to treat Jordan and give her a break from babysitting me. 

We were lying on the couch together around 7, both of us still fully awake. 

"So are you going to let me in on this little secret plan you have yet? Because as much as I enjoy finding bouquets of flowers…and candies and a bottle of wine hidden strategically around my house…my curiosity is beginning to get the best of me." Jordan said quietly and clicked off the T.V. 

I just smiled and nudged her with my elbow as I sat up on the couch. I looked over at the clock and ran a hand through my hair. 

" So what exactly do you have in mind?" she asked and I just smiled and stood slowly from the couch and went to the kitchen, walking better than I had since I left the hospital. 

"Why don't you go take a nice relaxing bath, and then you'll see. "She was hesitant of what I was up to but followed my instructions anyway. 

"Tonight's about you." I said and she smiled, taking a towel from the dresser and heading into the bathroom. 

When she came out of the bathroom, I was pleased to see that she was just in a towel. She sauntered through the living room and tried to get a look at where all the good smells were coming from. I had put on the yellow sleep pants and was lighting candles around the apartment when she came in.

"Get in there and put some clothes on! It's a surprise!" I said trying to block her view of the kitchen. She just smiled and hurried into the bedroom to change. 

 I had laid out a white cotton sheet on top of the covers and had laid some massage oils I found under the bathroom sink out. 

One bottle I had snuck out to the store during the day to get. I kept that bottle in the pocket of my pajama pants. 

When she had changed into a pair of sleep boxers and a tank top, she came back out into the living room. I was setting plates of spaghetti with alfredo sauce on the counter. She smiled widely and hurried to sit down. 

"Well" I said pulling the stool out for her and stepping back when the cool metal touched my bare stomach, "Now that we're all properly attired." I said chuckling and Jordan hopped onto the stool. I sat down on the one nearest her and grabbed the bottle of wine. I had made the flowers I bought the centerpiece. 

"This looks wonderful, Woody. Thank you." She said wringing her hands together and picking up her fork. I raised my fork to her and she laughed clinking her fork against mine. I nodded and took her free left hand in my right and ate with my left. I poured Jordan several glasses of wine throughout the course of dinner. I was on pain meds and still couldn't drink anything. We laughed and talked and I was beginning to enjoy drunk!Jordan. 

"You're insane." I laughed as Jordan lay with her head on the counter, laughing so hard that no noise could come out. 

"Yeah," She said gasping for air as she wiped her eyes. "Well, enjoy this Jordan while she's hear…horny!Jordan is next and serious!Jordan will follow her." She said and I turned my head to her with a snap. 

"Tell me more about horny!Jordan?" I asked intrigued by this little bit of information. She rolled her eyes. 

"Well…I get drunk in several stages…right now is silly!Jordan next up is…ah…horny!Jordan." She said nodding. I raised an eyebrow at her. 

"And what exactly goes along with the horny!Jordan stage?" I asked and Jordan raised her eyebrows playfully. She stood from her stool and held onto the counter as she tried to look sexy walking over to me. 

"Well….she does things like this…" Jordan said stepping up onto the little bar that ran across the bottom of the stool and wrapping her arms around my neck. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. 

"That doesn't really turn me…oh…oh my…" I was about to tease Jordan that she had no affect on me. Then she straddled my thigh roughly and slowly slid from my knee to my hip. She smiled self satisfactorily and began to kiss my neck. I wrapped my arms loosely around her and lay kisses up her arm. She moaned in my ear and my hips danced toward hers still tightly straddling my thigh. The pain killers were doing their job and I was thankful. 

"Why don't we go in the bedroom?" I asked slyly, hoping that maybe horny!Jordan would forget about the 28 day rule. She slid off my leg and I helped her walk to the bedroom. 

"Hey! I know what you're doing!" She slurred. "None of this…" She said waving a hand over her body " till a few more weeks…" She said and I could feel serious!Jordan trying to sneak in early. I guided her to the bed and she sat down and noticed the bottles of oil lying next to the bed. I handed her the towel she had used for her bath and she slowly made her way to the bathroom. When she came out, the towel was wrapped loosely around her and she smiled at me. She let go of the top of the towel and let it fall to the ground. 

"Oops." She said covering her mouth and trying not to chuckle. My eyes widened and I swallowed hard. 

 She eyed me for a beat before climbing onto the bed and laying flat on her stomach. I tried to move, but in a moment of juvenile weakness…the only thing I could think of was 'I just saw Jordan naked'. She grabbed the towel from the floor and pulled it up and laid it over her backside. I turned on the radio to the jazz station and turned off the light. 

"I can't see." Jordan said quietly and I leaned down to her ear when my eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room. I looked around at the few candles lit and whispered into her ear. 

"You don't need to." I said smiling and I could hear her breathing increase momentarily. I carefully climbed onto the bed and straddled her slender backside. I fixed the towel a little and made sure to casually rub against her. She chuckled and I smiled. I took the bottle I had bought out of my pocket and popped open the top. 

"What's that?" Jordan asked catching the unfamiliar scent of cherry. I leant down again and whispered in her ear. 

"Well…" I said and poured a small amount of the warm liquid into my palm and let it pool there. "If I read the directions correctly…" I said and let it drip into a little puddle between her shoulder blades. "You take this in little drops and put it on the skin…and then you ah…" I said and bent forward, my lips hovering just over the sweet smelling gel. "you do this…" I said and formed my lips around it in an 'O'. I hesitated a moment before jutting my tongue out and pulling some of the candy into my mouth. I waited for Jordan to react. Her body suddenly tensed and I smiled. "Oh yeah, and it heats the skin wherever you…lick it off." I said and Jordan moaned. 

I used my pointer finger to lift some of the remaining candy and drizzle it down her spine and stopped at the small of her back. Jordan squirmed at the new sensation and I scooted back to straddle her thighs. I was still leaning with my hands beside her head and I pulled them slowly across the mattress to be closer to me, letting them brush against the curves of Jordan's body as they went. She squirmed against my fingers and I could see her back rising a little faster in the candlelight. 

I braced my hands on the mattress; Jordan's rear sandwiched between them and then carefully bent my head back down to her body. I gently pressed my lips to the small of her back, jutting my tongue out in the same manner as before and slowly sucking the cherry gel into my mouth. Once again, Jordan's body tensed at the warmth that followed. I lifted my lips and moved them further up, near her ribs and dropped several light kisses there. Returning to the spine, I used the tip of my tongue to draw a line up the middle of her back, making an uneven trail through the cherry gel. Jordan's body responded with a chill-like ripple that coursed from one end of her body to the other. I turned my head sideways at the base of her neck and proceeded to kiss the remaining gel away from the top of her spine to the bottom. Jordan was letting me be in complete control. 

Jordan put her arms straight out at her sides and I righted myself, scooting back to straddling her butt. I opened the lid of the gel again and squeezed out three drops up her middle finger, onto her wrist, and the bend in her arm. I started at the finger, kissed my way to her wrist and turned it gently over with my hand to kiss the inner part of her wrist. I gently laid her hand back down and continued to kiss up to the next dot at the bend of her arm. I kissed away the gel and Jordan suddenly rolled over impatiently. I smiled down at her as she righted the towel across her front. She smiled back and reached slowly for my face. I bent to her and she guided my head to her bare chest. 

**Jordan…**

I couldn't resist anymore, I rolled over so that I was facing Woody. He just smiled down at me through his bangs and I reached out for him. I guided his head to my chest and he rested it there, bringing his large hands up to rest on my hips. I sighed and nudged his head to get him to come up to me and he kissed along my collarbone, finally reaching my lips where I was able to taste the cherry flavor of the gel on his lips. I kissed all over his face before reaching over to take the gel. I pressed it back into his hand and I felt him smile against my lips. 

"More?" he asked and I nodded as the warmth of his body pressed to mine slowly left. I watched his eyes as they searched for a place to put the new drops and he held the tube over my chest and drizzled a small amount into the cleft between my collarbones. I guided his head back to my chest and he once again brought his lips to my skin and his soft tongue snuck past them, hungrily consuming the gel in a way that had nothing to do with an empty stomach. Woody lifted his head and brought the little bottle back up to my chest, drizzling some more in the gap between my breasts. I held his head to me as he slowly ran his tongue up the crevice and I arched my back towards his lips. He smiled and dragged his teeth lower, stopping just above my navel before dragging them back up. I could see his arms beginning to shake weakly next to my head and I silently helped him to roll over onto his side. I lifted my body onto my elbow and threw my arm across his chest, bending forward and kissing along his tight pectoral muscles. He wrapped his right arm around my bare middle and pulled me up beside him better, kissing up my shoulder and neck. We finished our exploration as he rubbed his knee tenderly but urgently between my legs and softly bit the warm skin of my neck, using his teeth to leave his mark in me, because no other part of him was allowed. He chanced rolling over onto me and I held him up a little with a hand on his chest. He settled himself between my bare legs and I could feel his body shaking against me. He grunted impatiently and I reached down between us, slipping my hand into his sleep pants and grasping him. In my drunkenness I had forgot about a side affect of muscle relaxants. They don't just relax the muscles where the injury is. They relax all the muscles of your body. Woody lifted his hips away from my hand immediately and he lifted his eyes shamefully to mine.  

"Jordan…I don't know why…I'm not…it has nothing to do with you." He said lowering his eyes and sliding off of me but still with an arm on either side of me. "That's never happened to me be…" I cut him off, breathing heavily and cradled his cheek in my hand. 

"Oh Hunny, no…" I said suddenly sobered. "It's not you it's the muscle relaxants…they…well….they relaxed alllllll your muscles." I said and Woody sighed. He flopped onto his back and punched the mattress with the back of his clenched right fist. 

"I hate this Jordan, I really do." He said angrily. "I want to be with you so badly…I just can't…" I hushed him. 

"A little more time…a couple more weeks." I said and he rolled back to face me, setting a hand on my knee. 

His breathing slowed and he trailed his hand up my thigh. I reached for his hand and brought it up to rest on my stomach as he pulled me closer to his side and pulled the cotton sheet out from under us, balling it up beside us on the bed. He lifted his body from the bed and pulled the comforter down. I lifted my body away from the bed and he pulled my side down as well. Woody grunted in pain and I sat up, throwing my towel on the floor and pulling the sheets all up around us. Woody pulled me to his side and wrapped an arm around my waist. I laid my arm across his chest and kissed his shoulder. 

"Thank you." I whispered and Woody kissed my head. 

"A couple more weeks." I said again as I snuggled into him. 

The next morning I woke in Woody's arms as usual. I was a little hung over and then when I realized I was naked I panicked a little. I lifted the covers and sighed when I realized Woody was at least still dressed in those yellow sleep pants. As I was looking down at them, the night before came flooding back. I rolled my eyes and sighed.  I imagined trying to explain to the doctor that we were basically horny teenagers and couldn't keep it together for even a month. 

I sat up and climbed out of bed, trying to remember where I had left my clothes. As I crept to the bathroom, I saw something out of place on my mirror. I smiled and looked back at the bed where Woody lay. He must have written it while I was passed out drunk. I looked once again at the '16' written in red lipstick before heading in to take a shower. 

When I came out of the bathroom to dress, the number was cleaned off and Woody was no longer in the bed. I dressed quickly and then went to the kitchen where Woody was sitting in the navy blue sleep pants. He looked up at me and smiled half-heartedly over the coffee mug at his lips. 

"Hey." He said and I noticed he was a little pale. 

"You feeling alright?" I asked and went to check his forehead. 

"Me yeah…I'm fine…my mojo's still feeling a little like it was bitch slapped though." He said with that same sad smile and I kissed his lips, the warm taste of hazelnut enticing me to pour a cup of my own to go. I kissed his forehead one last time as I tightened the plastic top to my mug and pulled on my coat. 

When I had my back turned I could see Woody gently holding his side in the glass windows. I turned around and his hand was on his knee. I narrowed my eyes at him and then checked the wound over once again before kissing him good-bye and heading out the door. 

"I love you." I heard him say quietly behind me as I stepped out the door. I froze in my tracks and looked down at my watch. I was ten minutes later already, what was another ten gonna get me, an extra thirty lashings?

I turned slowly and Woody was staring at me expectantly. I stood there slack jawed before Woody's eyes dropped to the ground. 

"I'm…I'm sorry…that wasn't….I shouldn't have…" I just nodded and he looked up at me one last time before I slowly pulled the door shut and leaned against it. 

I did love him. But the night before, had his cocktail of meds not done him wrong, we probably would have had sex. I didn't know how to mix sex and love. Hell, that fact alone might have eventually made me come to my senses and stop Woody the night before. I looked to the ceiling wondering what I was going to do. I decided to let the whole thing drop and pretend like it never happened. But it had. I sighed and hurried to the elevator. 

**Woody…**

Well, there went that. Jordan would have Cal packing me up within the hour. I sighed and looked down at the coffee grains in the mug. I set it down on the table with a thud and some of the remaining drops hopped out and onto the counter. I stared at them for a long moment before picking up the mug and hurling it against the brick wall. I grabbed my side in pain and opened my fist to look down at the pill I was supposed to have taken an hour ago. I held my sore side and hopped down off the stool, looking irately at the shattered mug before making my way pointedly to the bathroom. I stood looking down into the toilet before dropping the little capsule into the bowl. I flushed it and watched it circle it's way down the drain. I knew the rest of the day was going to be spent in pain. But my body had angered me the night before and I was going to be damned if I didn't spitefully anger it that next day.  

Cal called around noon and asked me if I wanted him to come over. I was lying on the couch, feverish and holding a small bag of ice on my side to bring down the swelling. 

"No, I'm fine." I said trying to breathe evenly. Cal was quiet for a moment. 

"You don't sound fine man, are you alright?" He asked and I threw the washcloth that was on my head down on the floor. 

"No Cal! I'm NOT fine!! I got shot!!" I yelled into the phone and then hissed holding my side as my body broke out into a sweat. Cal was shocked.

"I…I know Woody…I was just…I'll let you go then." He said and I heard the receiver being dropped into the cradle on the other end. I sighed and crawled off of the couch and across the room. I looked up at the bed and my head was spinning from the pain. I pulled myself up onto the bed and pulled all of the covers up around me. I lay there staring at the ceiling for about ten minutes, listening to the blood pounding in my ears. 

Then I heard the door being opened and keys jingling. 

"Woody?" I heard Jordan's voice and she sounded like the angel of mercy. I pulled the covers further up and continued to jaggedly breathe. 

"Oh my God." I heard her gasp. "Cal! Come in here!" She yelled and I shook under the covers. Suddenly they were pulled off of me and I looked up at my brother and Jordan standing over me, eyes wide with alarm. 

"Get him up and keep the blanket around him….we have to get him to the hospital. " Jordan said and Cal lifted me effortlessly to my feet. He held me up under my arms and carried me to the door. I shook my head no the whole way down, even I'm told, as Cal pulled me into the back seat of Jordan's SUV unconscious. 


	4. 28 Days Part 2

Disclaimer: Not mine…blah blah blah….blee blee blee….just playing with the till January….and beyond…..

**Devil or Angel: 28 Days part 2**

----------------------

When I finally came to in the hospital, I was feeling miraculously better. I turned my head to see my doctor jotting something down on my chart. I sighed heavily and reached up to toy with the oxygen tube in my nose. 

"Hey I feel great." I said groggily. "What'd you give me Doc?" I asked and the Doctor didn't look up from his notes. 

"Your medication…which you should have taken this morning. You know I don't write scripts out just because I like to look at my signature wth "Dr." in front of it on everything. That was a very stupid thing you did son." He said with a sigh and I nodded. 

"I know…last night I was…I was a little…" I said in a raspy voice. The doctor finally raised his eyes to mine. 

"Pissed off?" he asked and I looked away and nodded. 

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go." I said and he came and sat down quietly beside me, still pretending to look over the chart. He checked my vitals and listened to me quietly. 

"The night before…well…before I got shot…I finally got through to her. Two years of pining and flirting and she finally opened up to me. We danced together in her Dad's bar, she admitted that she had feelings for me…we went out to breakfast, went back to her place. We took the laundry down…and…and there it was." I said and shook my head. 

"There what was?" the doctor asked removing the BP cuff from my arm. I laughed sarcastically and shook my head. 

"Life…why does everything bad hafta happen to Jordan?" I asked rhetorically and the doctor smiled. 

"I don't know son…but I wouldn't get mad at her for something she can't control." He said patting my arm before he stood and left. I looked back out the window for a few minutes and then I got the sensation that someone was watching me. I turned my head to the door and there was my brother, looking all of 5 years old as he stood peeking into the room. I smiled and beckoned him in. 

"How ya feeling?" he asked quietly as he took one step into the room. I nodded. 

"Better." I said and Cal sighed. 

"Don't ever do that again." He said angrily and I looked down at my feet poking through the blanket. I nodded and Cal took a few more steps closer so that he was right beside me. 

"No…I mean don't EVER do that to me again." He said clenching and unclenching his jaw in typical Hoyt fashion. "Cause if you do…and I have to see you…see you like that…if you died I would have them shock you back just so I could beat the shit outta you again." He said and I looked up to see his clear blue eyes filled with tears. I frowned and sat up more on the bed, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him down to me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and he cried into my neck. I petted his head and sighed. 

"You're the only brother I got Woody." He said sniffling. "You're too important to too many people to be acting this way." He said and I nodded, accepting my first ever Calvin Hoyt lecture. 

I kissed the side of his head and handed him a tissue. He sat down in the chair beside me and put his head in his hands. I looked to the door to see Jordan standing there smiling sadly at us. I smiled back and laid a hand on Cal's shoulder, rubbing it gently as Jordan motioned that she'd be back in a little. I nodded and continued to comfort my little brother. 

A few minutes later, Cal was sitting beside me, calmed somewhat, when Jordan walked in. 

"Hey." She said and I looked down at my feet again. 

"Hey." Cal and I said in unison. Jordan planted a kiss on the top of Cal's head and then came to the other side of the bed. She sat down and took my hand between both of hers. 

"You gonna read me the riot act too?" I asked and Jordan smiled and looked at Cal, his eyes still puffy. 

"No…I think you know that what you did was wrong." She said and leaned forward, softly kissing my lips. I nodded. "But I am still having Howard Stiles come in and talk to you." She said and I rolled my eyes. 

"I don't do well with shrinks. They tend to look too deeply into my good naturedness and why I wanted to be a cop." I said and Jordan smiled. 

"I could stay with you if you want?" She offered and I shook my head. 

"That's alright, I'll talk to him alone." I said and sighed. Jordan offered to go get me something to eat and Cal said something about going to Jordan's to clean up. They both kissed me good- bye (though in completely different ways) and I was content to go back to watching the snow swirling off of the ground outside. 

Stiles was soon at my door. 

"Mind if I come in?" He asked standing with his hands in his pockets and an elfish grin on his face. I nodded somberly and he nodded before strolling in and taking the seat next to my bed. 

"So how are you feeling detective?" He asked and I laughed. 

"If I had a dime for every time I got asked that in the past few weeks…" I said and he nodded. 

"So you wanna tell me what found you back here so soon after you're release? I've had the food here so I know THAT can't be it." He said with a smile and I nodded. 

"I…uhhh…I didn't take my medication this morning." I said casually and he nodded again. 

"Any particular reason why?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders like a child. 

"Didn't feel like it." I said looking back out the window. 

"Okay…well I'm gonna go get some of that horrible cafeteria food downstairs…you buzz the nurse when you're ready to tell me the truth." He said with a smirk and stood from the chair. He was half way to the door when I spoke. 

"Because last night I couldn't get an erection when I was fooling around with my girlfriend." I said and he turned on his heels. I smirked. 

"What? Too truthful for ya Doc." I said turning my head back to the window. He slowly made his way back to the chair and sat down. 

"And how did that make you feel?" He said and I scoffed. 

"I'm not that complex Doc, you think of how you woulda felt and you've probably got the right idea. "He said and he nodded again. 

"Well…I'm a married man…but once upon a time I was a young bachelor as yourself. And…I imagine if put in that situation…I would probably have cut off my nose to spite my face as well." He said and I snapped my head towards him. 

"Woa! Hey there…nothing was CUT OFF." I said frantically. Stiles laughed and shook his head. 

"It's an expression. And in your case, your body didn't help you so you decided not to help your body." He said and I nodded. 

"I threw a cup against the wall too." I said and looked back out at the snow. 

"Why?" he asked quietly, leaning closer to the rail of my bed. 

"Because I told Jordan I loved her…and…she didn't say it back." I said and clenched my teeth. He didn't respond, probably already sensing the words that were about to come out of my mouth next. "I mean…any normal woman would have…" Stiles cut in on what I was saying. 

"Hold it right there! You just said the magic words." He said and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Normal is not Jordan Cavanaugh's Nom de Plume." He said and I rolled my eyes. He patted my arm. 

"Give her time Woodrow…it takes her ABNORMAL mind a little longer to process things. She's here for you isn't she?" he asked and I nodded. "She's keeping you at her place, letting you cook her meals and pretending they're wonderful I'm sure…letting you sleep in her bed knowing you'll still be there when she wakes up?" He said more than asked and I nodded. He looked me over happily. 

"You already know she loves you. You wouldn't have gotten attached to her if you didn't know that already. Something makes me think it isn't your way. You already know she loves you, all right. Just give her time to be able to say it." He said smiling and wishing me well before he turned and headed out the door. 

The session only lasted about 5 minutes. I had a feeling that what was discussed would float around in my head for much longer.

A few minutes later, Jordan came in with a tray of food. I turned my head ashamed and looked out the window. 

"Hungry?" she asked and I nodded smiling weakly as she set the tray down next to my bed. I held onto her hand and guided her to sit with me. Jordan sat gingerly on the edge of my bed and took a stab at fixing my hair. 

"You're gonna need a shower later tonight. Or maybe I'll run a bath for you?" She said and I let my eyes droop as she petted my head. There were a few moments of quiet. 

"I'm sorry I broke your mug." I said and Jordan looked surprised then chuckled and shook her head. 

"It's no big deal. I've purposefully broken a lot of stuff in my apartment at one time or another. It can be replaced." She said and I nodded. 

"But I was…I was acting childish. I could have done myself in from infection if I had held off on the meds any longer. It was just…" I said looking Jordan over and feeling the creeping sensation of remorse as I remembered pulling away from her touch the night before. She had just been trying to help. 

"I'm sorry I was so…curt afterwards…I just couldn't understand….why…" I said and Jordan tried to hush me from saying any more. But I had to finish. "Why…my body wasn't responding to what my heart was feeling." I said and Jordan nodded looking at the corner of my pillow. 

"I understand Woody. I do. But I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about the side effects of those muscle relaxants before hand. It might have saved us a lot of awkardness." She said blushing. I took her chin and she lifted her eyes to mine. 

"I'm not going to make this awkward…and it wasn't a complete disaster. I still got to wake up with you this morning." I said and Jordan leaned forward, possessively taking my lips. 

"That was still a really stupid thing to do Woody." She said against my lips and I chuckled. 

"Haven't I heard that enough today?" I said and Jordan looked at me sternly. 

"A few more times won't kill ya….that was VERY childish a thing to do." She said and I nodded. Then she forgave me with another kiss. 

-------------------------------

Later that night, Cal and Jordan got me settled back into the apartment and Cal left after remarking that he had counted my pills and when he came over next, he would be making sure the appropriate number were gone. 

I was resting on the couch when Jordan came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck. 

"Ready for your bath?" She whispered and a surge of excitement ran through my body. She came around to the front of the couch and helped me to stand. I was feeling much better but she didn't want to chance it. We slowly made our way to the bedroom and Jordan sat me down on the bed. I could hear the water filling the tub and the steam from the water was creeping through the doorway. I smiled at Jordan and sighed as she went in to turn off the water. She returned a second later and came to stand in front of me. I set my hands on her hips and she placed her hands on my shoulders. She gently kneaded my tight muscles and I let my hands slide slowly down her sides eventually dropping them to my knees. 

Jordan took my arms softly and lifted them up over my head, dragging the white undershirt I had on up and over my head as well. The cool air of the apartment hit my bare chest and back and I could feel goose bumps ripple across my skin. She took my hands and helped me to stand from the bed. When I was fully upright, she reached down to unbutton my jeans and I rested my right hand on top of hers as she unbuttoned. She moved her hand away and I drug the zipper down. When I pulled my hands back, Jordan slipped a hand on either side of my jeans and slid them off of me. As her hands traveled across my backside, they playfully squeezed my cheeks, emitting a low moan from my lips.Jordan smiled and her fingers traced the edge of my boxers. I panicked and pulled away from her, my pants dropping to the floor. Jordan looked up at me and I smiled sadly at her. 

"I'm…" I stuttered feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "I'm just gonna go in myself." I said looking at the door. Jordan looked up at me, her face unreadable. She just nodded and I stepped around her to the bathroom, kicking my pants off as I went. I got into the bathroom and pushed the door to, but didn't shut it all the way. I slipped my boxers off and looked down at myself begrudgingly. I Shook my head and then carefully climbed into the tub. I hissed as I lowered myself in and the hot water hit my wound. When I was properly settled, I laid back and sighed, letting the hot water seep into my aching bones. 

I watched the steam rising in the candlelight and brought a hand up to run through my hair. I watched the warm water trickle between my eyes and felt it course down my stiff neck. I could sense Jordan. She must have been standing just outside the door. I sighed heavily and cleared my throat.

"Caught me?" I heard her say quietly from the door and I turned my head to look at her. She was leaning with her head against the wall just inside the bathroom door. I smiled and turned back to face forward. 

"You can come in here if you want." I said simply and Jordan cautiously stepped forward and took a seat on top of the toilet. She brought her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. I slicked my hair back again and settled my arms on the edges of the tub. I watched Jordan's eyes as they danced along my body. 

I made sure to slide my arms along the tub slowly, letting my muscled naturally flex. I scooched further up in the tub making my pecks push together and tighten. I looked back at Jordan's eyes and even in the dim candlelight I could see bare desire there. I smiled to myself and Jordan let a playful smile pass over her lips. 

"Com'ere" I said clearly and Jordan smiled, slowly sliding off the toilet. 

------------------------------

**Jordan…**

I  knelt down beside the tub and took his hand. He brought our entwined hands to his lips and kissed the cool, smooth back of my hand. His lips were warm against my skin. I leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly. When I pulled back, I used my free hand to dip a washcloth into the water and brought it up, hanging over his waist. He raised his eyebrows and I slowly drizzled from where the water level rose to just above his navel up his chest and let some water pool in the crevice between his collarbones. I ran my hands over his well defined chest muscles and down his strong, smooth arms. He smiled and I dipped my pointer finger into the crevice and then made a water trail across his left collarbone. He took my hand and brought it to his lips. I took the hint and sat back onto my calves and laid the washcloth back to hang on the edge of the tub. Woody sat forward and kissed me once more before settling back into the water. 

I turned with my back to him and lay back against the side of the tub. He sighed and then I sighed. 

"I like this." I said quietly and he nodded. I could here the water slosh against the tub as he moved making ripples across the water. 

"Me too." he said and we sat in comfortable silence. I hope that he had gotten the drift that I had been using that age-old method of flattery to make him fee a little better. 

**Woody…**

Without even knowing it, or maybe it was her intent all along, she had given me back a little of my manhood in just those few seconds of flattering me with her touch. 

"Thank you."  I said quietly and Jordan stilled then nodded. She stood slowly, bracing herself on the tub and started to leave the room. 

"Before you leave." I said and Jordan slowed. She turned to face me as I sat up slowly in the water. "Could you hand me a towel and help me up?" I asked and Jordan smiled. I smirked back at her and she grabbed a towel from the closet and strolled over to me. She set the towel down and stepped to the tub. I braced myself on the sides and looked up at her. She looked down at me with her eyebrows raised. 

Well, I HAD seen her naked already. I slowly pulled myself up and Jordan steadied me. I almost laughed when I caught her give me a quick once over as she reached for the towel and helped me wrap it around my waist. I smiled as she scrutinized my stitches as if they were the most interesting things in the world. Jordan helped me to climb out of the tub and then asked me if I was okay before leaving me standing in the middle of the bathroom. I watched her walk out, shaking my head. I don't think I'll ever figure that woman out. 

Later, I crawled into bed with Jordan. I thought that she was asleep, but she rolled over to face me, eyes wide. I wrapped my arms around her and she molded comfortably into her "spot" against my side. I sighed and moved about an inch back so that there was a little space between Jordan and I. 

"I'm sorry…that I've been pushing you so fast." She said and I nodded against the pillow. 

"I've been pushing myself too." I said and Jordan turned over to face me. 

"Yeah…but I've initiated most of the stuff we've done. I'm a doctor, I should have been more considerate of your condition. I knew what kind of recovery time you were looking at and I basically ignored it." She said laying a hand on my cheek.  I just smiled. 

"I didn't exactly resist it Jordan." I said and she shook her head. 

"Let's not play "Top This" tonight. We were both wrong okay?" She said and I nodded. 

"Deal." I said and sighed. 

"Ummm…I was thinking something though…"I said and Jordan looked up into my eyes. 

"What's that?" she asked and I looked towards the door with a sad smile. 

"I think it would be a good idea for me to go to my apartment for a few days…spend some time with Cal." I said and Jordan was silent. 

"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded. "Okay…well…uhhh…I'll call him when I wake up." She said and I cleared my throat. 

I…I uhh already talked to him about it in the hospital today." I said and Jordan smiled. I'm always super prepared for everything. 

"What'd he think?" she asked and I smiled. 

"He thinks it would be very beneficial to my recovery and well-being." I said and Jordan smiled. 

"Meaning…he misses you and wants some brother time?" She asked and I nodded. She bent her chin to capture my lips and I held her to my chest tightly, knowing it would be a little while before I got to hold her at night again. 

"I'm gonna miss you." I said in a whisper and Jordan laid her forehead against mine. 

"I'll miss you too." She said and we fell asleep in each other's arms. If getting her to admit that she'd miss me was as close to 'I love you' as I would get for a little while, I could live with that. I held her closer and we fell asleep. 

"Now what exactly am I helping you to do?" Cal asked in a whisper as he helped me to place 100 sticky notes with the number 15 on them all over Jordan's apartment. 

I sighed and whispered angrily back. "Mind your business and just keep sticking!" I said and Cal rolled his eyes. 

"Favorite baseball player?" he asked, continuing to stick the notes in the high places while I busied myself with the low. I grunted. 

"Racecar driver?" He asked and I just stared at him. "Special anniversary? Her birthday?" He asked and I turned my head from across the room and angrily whispered. 

"Will you please just shut up!? I don't want her to wake up!" I said and Cal rolled his eyes again and turned back to his work. We spent the next five minutes in silence, finishing up with the notes before we gathered my things and snuck out. 

We got down to my car and Cal helped me get all my stuff into the back before coming around to help me in. As he gave me his shoulder to lean on and slip into the car I caught a knowing smile playing across his lips. I chose to ignore it. He kept it plastered to his face as he walked back around and slipped into the driver's side. I looked out my window and sighed as I looked up at Jordan's window. 

Cal started the car and then pushed something against my knee. I turned my head and looked down to see a sticky note with the 15 on it. I narrowed my eyes and raised them to Cal's. He smiled widely. I could tell he had figured it out. 

"I…uh…I think it's cool what you did. You been doing that since the first day?" He asked and I smiled. He smiled back. "Yeah…it's pretty cool what you're doing. Cool in kinda a girly way…but cool." He said as he checked behind him and pulled out onto the road and I shook my head. 

----------------------------

The next day was Saturday. Cal suggested we stay in and watch a Badgers game on the dish. We threw a football around in my apartment during half time trying to stretch out my body a little and get me active. 

"Jordan would never let us do this at her place I bet." Cal called hurling the ball from my bedroom. I just laughed. 

"Probably not." I called throwing the ball back to Cal across the living room. We passed the ball in silence for a few minutes before Cal spoke again. 

"So…what do you have planned for the big day?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders, passing the ball back to him. 

"I dunno…I've been asking around about places to find a good little B&B. Lily suggested a place in the Berks, Nigel told me the Vineyard, Dr. Macy said something about a place in the Hamptons…" I said and caught the ball with an 'oof'. Cal raised his eyebrows. 

"Oh yeah, I can see Jordan rubbing elbows with the upper crust of New England society." He said chuckling. I laughed. 

"Maybe someplace else." I said with a smile and threw the ball back. 

"So how have you been feeling otherwise? You seem like you're getting most of your strength back." Cal said throwing me the ball. 

I shrugged. "Yea…uhhh…pretty much back to normal." I said and I could feel my ears reddening. Cal stopped when he caught the ball and eyed be suspiciously. 

"I don't wanna play anymore." He said exiting my room and walking towards me. He knew I was lying. He dropped the ball and followed me as I tried to escape to the T.V. 

"Calvin." I warned flicking on the set as I sat down on the couch. Cal sat beside me and hit the off button on the remote. I sighed angrily. 

"What's wrong?" Cal asked dropping the remote to the floor beside him and I shook my head. 

"It's none of your business Cal. It's…it's a very personal issue." I said and Cal eyed me curiously. I raised my eyes slowly to his embarrassed. 

"What you mean like…like…sexual stuff?" He asked and I thought I might have seen a spark of sympathy. I just looked down confirming his assumption. 

"Yikes." Cal said quietly and then sighed and scratched his head. "Well…don't those…those pain killers mess you up for a little?" He asked and I nodded. 

"So everyone keeps telling me." I said and looked down at my side, rubbing it gently through my sweatshirt. Cal got my drift. Since the other night, I had been worried that it was more than the pills that were affecting my biology. I had begun to think maybe something was damaged. 

"Well…maybe I make an appointment with a urologist for Monday?" he asked and I nodded. 

"I think maybe I'd go." I said and Cal nodded wordlessly. 

"So…what do you wanna do tomorrow?" He asked and I sighed. 

"Go see Jordan." I said with a smile and Cal laughed. 

"Woody's got a girlfriend." He said singsong and I chuckled throwing the ball into his side. 

-----------------

On Sunday, Cal and I stopped by Jordan's unannounced. She came to the door and pulled it open slowly. I pushed it the rest of the way laughing and pulled her into my arms. She was stunned. 

"What are you two doing here?" She asked giving Cal a peck on the cheek before returning to me. 

"You're butt buddy was going through withdrawal so I thought for my own safety I should bring him for a visit." Cal said smiling. 

"Wanna go out for lunch? I know this great Mexican place that serves the BEST chimmichangas in Boston." Jordan said winking at me. Cal scoffed as Jordan grabbed her coat and keys. 

"For all I know they're the only…chim…chimmichangas in Boston." Cal said and Jordan and I laughed as we walked towards the elevator hand in hand and Cal dragged behind us. 

After lunch, we dropped Jordan back off at her place and I walked her up to her apartment. We stood outside of her door for about 15 minutes talking.

"You know…I've been thinking…for when I'm better and well…maybe we could go away for the weekend that day…stay at a little B&B somewhere…never leave the room except to eat." I said wrapping my arms around Jordan. She smiled at me. 

"That sounds nice." She said and I kissed her once more, promising to look some places up online in the next two weeks. 

"Call me tomorrow night?" She asked still not letting go of my fingers as she backed into her place. I smiled shyly. 

"Tomorrow morning…tomorrow afternoon….tomorrow night." I said and she laughed kissing me once again before letting me go and shutting the door. 

--------------------------

"Woody?" Cal called in a sharp whisper from the sofa bed. I sighed and closed my eyes. 

"What?!" I called back irately, flashbacks to our childhood itching at the back of my mind. 

"You asleep?" He asked and I raised my head, using my full voice. 

"You retarded?" I asked loudly and he laughed. 

"Just wondering…you used to talk in your sleep ya know?" He asked and I could see his head lift off the sofa bed in the darkness. 

"Great, remind me to ask you about it when I'm getting ready to write my autobiography." I said and turned onto my stomach, punching my pillow into shape before pulling it over my head. 

"When they operated on you…did they take all the fun out of you by accident?" I heard him ask through the padding. 

"No…but if you don't let me sleep I'm gonna put MY fist into YOU." I called from under the pillow and I heard Cal mumble before turning over onto his side. I pulled my head back out and waited, like I had as a child, to hear his steady breathing before I drifted off to sleep myself. 

-----------------------

**Jordan…**

When I woke up in the morning, I routinely reached for my cell phone and turned it off of silent mode. As I was closing it, I noticed the little letter symbol blinking in the top left corner. I had gotten a voicemail at some point during the night. I sat up in bed, stretched and yawned, and punched in the code for my messages. 

The robotic woman's voice told me that I had one new message. Before she could give me a list of numbers to push, I hit 1 and waited for the message. 

"1st message…Monday, 12:05 am…." Came the same robotic voice followed by a beep. I smiled when I heard the next voice. 

"13." Came Woody's voice smoothly across the line. I almost responded then remembered it was just a message. But it was a message that I had gotten loud and clear. 

I climbed out of bed and placed the phone on my bed. I would have to think of a good way to get him the next day. 

**Woody…**

Cal woke me around 9 and told me the appointment he had made was at 10:15 so we better get ready to leave soon. I nodded and lay in bed a few more minutes trying to wake up. When I finally got out of bed, I took my meds and went in to the bathroom to shower. 

We pulled up at the doctor's office 10 minutes early and Cal waited as I looked up at the building. He tapped his hands nervously on the steering wheel. 

"You…umm….you want me to come in with you?" He asked. I looked over at him and a memory of sitting in the pediatrician's office holding his hand while he got a booster shot, his pudgy little hand squeezing mine for all he was worth, flashed through my mind. 

"Yeah." I said with a weak smile and Cal nodded before turning off the car and hopping out. I got out myself and closed the door before we headed up the stairs to the door. 

We entered the office and the latex smell of a hospital made my stomach flip flop. Cal patted me on the back and pointed to a seating area. I sat down and picked up a magazine as Cal went to the receptionist and let her know I was here. Cal took the seat next to me and began flipping through a Sports Illustrated. I shifted uncomfortably for 10 minutes before the Doctor came to the door with a clipboard. 

"Woody Hoyt?" He said raising his eyes to the room. Cal and I stood and the doctor held the door open as we walked in past him. We followed him to an exam room and he asked me to take a seat on the table and Cal helped spot me while I hopped up. He stood beside the cabinets and the doctor rolled up on a wheeling stool. 

"Dr. Henderson nice to meet you Woody." He said and flicked his eyes quickly to Cal. 

"Can I assume the lanky fellow to my right is your brother?" He asked and I nodded.   
"Yeah uh, hi doc…Cal Hoyt." He said stepping forward and taking the doctor's hand briefly. The doctor returned his attention to the checklist I had filled out in the waiting room. 

"Okay…" The doctor said and set the chart aside. 

"Now…you indicated here that you're experiencing erectile dysfunction and I noticed you wrote down quite a little list of medications you're taking." He said and I nodded. 

"Yes sir, see I'm a cop and a few weeks ago, I got shot…" I said and the doctor narrowed his eyes at me. 

"Mind if I take a look?" He asked and I shook my head, lifting my shirt to show off my battle scar. The doctor looked it over and nodded. 

"And you're concerned that the placement of the gunshot might have in some way affected some areas a little lower?" He asked with a smile. I nodded my head slowly. 

"Had anyone told you about the effects of the muscle relaxants you're taking?" He asked and I nodded again. 

"Yeah, my…uh…my girlfriend is a doctor and she told me that the medicine is the reason I can't well…" I let the doctor's imagination take the rest of that. He nodded. 

"Well, taking into consideration the pain meds…I'm going to say that I have to agree." He said patting my shoulder. I just looked at him sheepishly. 

"But you're not gonna buy that are you?" he asked and I smiled sadly. 

"I…uh…I just wanna be 100% sure." I said and he nodded. 

"Understandable." He said and stood from the stool. "Let me see what I can do for you." I nodded and he went to the cabinets where Cal was standing. Cal moved out of the way as the doctor rooted through the cabinet. 

"Here we are." He said turning and looking over a label. He handed me a thin box. 

"These things here are kind of a tape. Read the directions… wrap it up overnight, if you feel up to it DON'T take your muscle relaxants tonight and if you wake up in the morning and the tape has been perforated, then you're fine." The doctor said and I nodded. 

"Thank you Doc." I said and shook his hand. He nodded then nodded to Cal. 

"You give my office a call in the morning and let me know how you made out." He said and wished me luck as we exited the room. 

-------------------------------------

Back at my place, I decided to give Jordan a call at work. 

"Cavanaugh." She said drowsily. 

"Slow day?" I asked with a smile as I stirred some soup for lunch. Jordan yawned. 

"No…just didn't sleep as well last night without you beside me." She whispered and I heard Nigel loudly from the other side of the room say, 'Awwwwww….how sweet.' To which Jordan hurled something at him. 

"So what have you been up to today?" She asked and I glanced at the little box I'd gotten from the doctor sitting on the counter. 

"Nothing much…laying around, getting better." I said and Jordan sighed. 

"That's good. You eat anything today?" she asked as Dr. Jordan kicked in. 

"Making soup right now…I gave Cal grilled cheese making duty for this afternoon." I said and smiled at my brother flipping sandwiches beside me at the stove. 

"Good boys. You gonna call tonight still?" She asked and I nodded. 

"Yep. You want me to call around 9?" I asked and I could hear the smile in her voice. 

"Sounds great." She said and I said good-bye. I hung up the phone and turned back to my soup. 

--------------------------

**Jordan…**

I answered the phone a few minutes after 9 that night. 

"Guess who?" Came Woody's sleepy voice over the phone. 

"Is it past somebody's bedtime?" I asked smiling and Woody yawned. 

"Well, I was up early this morning." He said and I got the feeling that he was holding off on telling me something.  
'"Oh yeah? What for?" I asked and Woody cleared his throat. 

"I uhh…I went to see a doctor today." He said simply and I was silent. "Jordan?" he asked and I nodded. 

"I'm still here…a doctor? For what?" I asked and Woody sighed. 

"I just wasn't entirely convinced that the medicine was the only thing keeping me from ummm…from you know." He said and I nodded to myself. 

"Oh okay…and what did he say?" I asked nervously and Woody replied. 

"Well, he gave me this…this…tape…stuff that you umm…that I have to wrap… Woody junior… in for the night and not take my muscle relaxants tonight." He said and I sighed. 

"Did you tell him what happened last time you didn't take your meds?" I asked irately and Woody answered quickly. 

"Yeah he knows. I have an ointment for the stitches and I can still take my antibiotics, it's just the relaxants that I can't take tonight." He said and I cleared my throat. 

"Well…let me know how you're feeling first thing tomorrow morning." I said sternly and Woody laughed. 

"Yes Ma'am." He said and I sighed again. 

"So you didn't take the relaxants tonight? Does that mean you can you know…get excited?" I asked and Woody chuckled. 

"Are you asking me to have phone sex?" He asked quietly and I chuckled. 

"Maybe." I said and I could hear Woody groan. He doesn't know how to have fun sometimes. 

"Come on! I'll start…I'm taking off my tank top you know that one with the…" He cut me off with a moan. 

"Yeah…" He said and I assumed he wanted more descriptions. 

"And now…I'm untying those little sleep boxers you like with the…you know…." I said playfully and Woody chuckled. 

"Hey Woody, man, that doctor wasn't kidding! I put that tape on before dinner and I already ripped that sucker open!"  I heard Cal say and Woody seemed to have been shocked into momentary silence. 

"CALVIN!" Woody yelled and I heard him drop the phone and Cal laughing as he asked if I was on the phone and then I distinctly heard a struggle going on. 

"Calvin Hoyt don't you hurt him again!" I called and I heard Cal laugh hysterically while yelling something about Woody ripping his nipples off. 

"I'm back." Woody's voice said angrily and I held in a chuckle. 

"Talk to you tomorrow?" I asked and Woody sighed heavily as I heard Cal still laughing at himself in the background. 

"Yeah…I guess…" he said and I blew him a phone kiss goodnight. He did the same and then quickly disconnected, probably to go back to pummeling Cal. 

-------------------------------------------

**Woody…**

"Will you shut up! I can figure this out on my own!" I yelled through the bathroom door as I tried to figure out how these tape thingies went on. 

"You just wrap em around the…" Cal started again frustrated and I cut him off.

"I can read just fine Calvin now will you leave me alone for the love of GOD!?" I bellowed and Cal harrumphed.   
"Fine! I was just trying to help!" he said as his voice faded from the door. I rolled my eyes and finished up, making a face as I hiked up my sleep pants. I opened the door and Cal was standing across the room, smiling at the uncomfortable look on my face. I shuffled out of the bathroom and Cal shook his head. 

"You're walking like you have the world's largest wedgie Woodrow." He said chuckling and I smiled sarcastically at him as I silently went to my room and slammed the door. 

"Good night princess…hope everything comes out okay for you." He whispered at the door and I threw one of my shoes against the door from the bed.  I didn't' yell anything because I knew that at least he was half serious. I lay down and took out the ointment to rub on my stitches and then popped my antibiotics before rolling to my side and carefully applying the jelly-like cream. I finished and set the little tube on my bedside before turning off the light and rolling over to sleep. I silently prayed that I wouldn't wake up like I had the last time I didn't take my muscle relaxants. I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, thoughts of Jordan on my mind. 

---------------------

When I woke in the morning, I was laying on my side, my arms wrapped securely around the extra pillow and I was smiling. I had dreamt of Jordan all night long. I rolled to my back and sighed. Then I remembered about the tape. I took a deep breath and lifted the sheets. I didn't even need to check the tape. I still had evidence of my sensual dream-filled night. I smiled and rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb "Woody Jr." I hurried to the bathroom as I realized a portion of my condition was due to the full glass of water I had drunk with my pills the night before. I slipped quietly into the bathroom to relieve myself, as Cal's head popped off of the couch bed. 

"Hey! Wait! So what's up Woody?!" he called sleepily, as I steadied myself with a hand on the wall and cringed when I couldn't relieve my aching bladder. I smiled painfully as Cal came to the door and knocked.

"Everything that needs to be, little brother." I said happily  and Cal hoorayed. 

"No no no no no…" Trailed off through my teeth and Cal came back to the door. 

"I thought this was a good thing?" He said exasperated and I sighed. 

"It isn't when I can't pee after the gallon of water I drank last night." I said feeling tears come to my eyes. Cal hissed. 

"Tough break…" he said as I tried to think of things to turn me off. 

"Hey Woodrow, remember that time we stayed with grand mom and grand pop when Mom and Dad went to Hawaii…and you accidentally walked in on Grand mom in the shower?" Cal said and I was silent. I could hear him laugh as the glorious trickle was like music to my ears. 

"You're welcome!" Cal called and I sighed deeply. 

I flushed and came out of the bathroom and Cal wrapped his arms around me, jumping us in a circle. I just laughed and told him he was crazy. 

"Is it weird for you that we're jumping in a circle for your penis being functional?" Cal asked stopping the party momentarily. I looked up at the ceiling and shrugged. 

"Nah." I said as he began to bounce us again and I laughed heartily and realized it was the first time since the shooting that it didn't hurt to laugh. 

------------------------------ 

I decided I was going to surprise Jordan for lunch and routinely checked my e-mail before I went out. There was something from Jordan and I was pretty sure I knew what it was going to be. I opened the e-mail and found that there was an attachment I needed to download. I smiled realizing it was a digital photo and waited for it to load onto my screen. 

What came up was a digital picture of a close up of a yellow sticky note with the number 12 written on it. I smiled and Cal was suddenly over my shoulder.

"Aww…you two are like a couple a teenagers in puppy love aren't ya?" He asked and mussed my hair. I had no snippy comment. I just smiled and saved the picture before shutting down my computer. 

"I'm gonna surprise Jordan for lunch." I said stretching. Cal nodded. 

"Kay…just let me get my shoes on…"He said and I shook my head. 

"No I mean….I'm gonna drive myself…I think I'm up to it." I said and Cal eyed me cautiously. 

"You sure?" He asked and I nodded. 

"Yeah, the only reason I wasn't allowed to drive was cause I was on those pain killers and muscle relaxants. I stopped taking them, I feel fine." I said and Cal nodded hesitantly. 

"Alright well you just give me a call if you think you can't make it back yourself." He said as I picked up my keys and pulled on my coat as I headed for the door. I nodded and hurried down to the elevator. When I pulled up outside of the morgue, I felt a little nervous. I hadn't seen everybody in a little while and I was anticipating my welcome on the ride up to the morgue. The doors opened and I stepped cautiously out into the lobby. Everyone was bustling around as usual and I smiled at the comfort of normalcy. Nigel was the first to spot me. 

"Woodrow!" he called across the room and I smiled. He hopped to his feet and hurried to where I was standing. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders gently and patted my back. 

"Good to see ya mate! How are you feeling?" He said and I smiled. 

"I'm doing great! Stopped with the pain meds the other night, feeling stronger…" I said and heard two more voices call out my name. I turned my head to see a stunned Lily and Bug coming at me. They both hugged me gently. 

"It's okay guys, I won't break." I said laughing. "I'm feeling a lot better." I said and meant it. 

"Glad to hear it." I heard Dr. Macy say and I smiled turning to his office where he stood in the doorway smiling. 

"Doctor M." I said stretching out my hand. He embraced me quickly and patted my back. 

"Good to see you Woody." he said smiling and everyone was suddenly quiet. I looked around the little crowd to see Jordan standing arms folded, in front of the little group. I smiled at her and everyone slowly parted. She stepped forward and I opened my arms to her. She stepped into them, wrapping her arms around my torso and I hugged her tightly. 

"Hi." I whispered softly into her ear. Jordan bent back her head and kissed my lips softly. I could feel everyone smiling. 

"Hi yourself." She said pulling back and I chuckled. 

"I'm sorry about…about Cal last night on the phone…he's…he's one of those forever 12 year old guys…and…" she hushed me. 

"So…?" She asked and I winked. 

"I'm fine. It WAS just the muscle relaxants. You were right." I bent my head so my lips were closer to her ear. "And you inadvertently helped me to realize that last night." I said wagging my eyebrows and Jordan chuckled. 

"I hope it was as good as the dream I had about YOU last night." She whispered wagging her own eyebrows and I chuckled. I looked up and everyone had dispersed, leaving us standing by ourselves. 

"You wanna go get a bite to eat?"  I asked and Jordan took my hand and nodded, as we headed to her office to grab her coat. 

------------------------

We sat together at Max's bar, having endured the embarrassment of him making a production of my return to the outside world by giving a round of drinks on the house and introducing me to everyone in the room. 

"So…I talked to the chief earlier today…I'm gonna start back on a temporary basis on Thursday." I said and Jordan smiled. 

"Just inside stuff though right? Paper work, phone calls, background checks?" She asked and I nodded. 

"Pretty much." I said smiling, appreciative that things were finally returning to semi-normal. Jordan nodded again. 

"So…uhhh….when's Cal heading home?" She asked and I could tell she was anxious to get me back under her roof. I smiled. 

"Saturday. His boss was understanding but he'd like him back sooner than later." I said and Jordan nodded. 

"So…then…I was thinking maybe you'd come back to my place…bring some of your stuff if you want and I'll clear out a drawer for you…" She said shifting a little uncomfortably. I nodded slowly. 

"And…I uh…I got a key made for you today." She said sliding it across the bar to me. I smiled casually and picked it up, quickly hooking it to my key ring. 

"Thanks." I said and Jordan nodded. I sighed and looked down at my own extra key. I slipped it off quickly and slid it across the bar to Jordan. 

"And maybe you should have mine…you know just in case of an emergency." I said and Jordan smiled and slowly lifted the key from the bar. She nodded and placed it on her own key ring. We smiled shyly at one another and I lifted my soda to Jordan. She lifted her own to me and we toasted the silent agreement we had just made. 

"Well…uh…I better be getting back before Garrett puts out a warrant for me." She said checking her watch and I nodded, standing from the bar. 

"Damn good to see ya Son." Max said coming around the bar and wrapping me in a big bear hug. I smiled and patted his shoulder before we headed out of the bar. 

--------------------------------

"Alright, well I'm not gonna come up." I said as I pulled up out front of the morgue and Jordan climbed out. "I think I am gonna stop by the precinct and see how everything's going…get some stuff regarding my return in order…" I said and Jordan leaned across the seat kissing me deeply. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she pecked my nose quickly before saying good-bye and shutting the door. I drove downtown to the 19th and parked on the road. 

A few of the guys stopped me to chat on my way in and they wished me luck on coming back. I made my way to my office and was greeted warmly by my office mate. He told me I was the boy wonder of the precinct right now and I better enjoy the perks while they were being offered. I smiled sitting down on the edge of my desk and Myers tossed me a Nerf football. 

"How ya feeling Hoyt?" A stern voice called from the doorway. I placed the ball on my desk and stood quickly, turning my attention to the chief. 

"Better sir, thank you sir." I said and he nodded.   
"Glad to hear it. I understand you're starting back soon on a part time basis?" He said and I nodded. 

"Thursday sir." I said and he nodded tapping the doorframe as he stepped back into the hallway. 

"Take it easy alright?" He said with a faint smile and I nodded.   
"Yes sir." I said and turned back to Myers as the chief walked off down the hall. We smiled and I threw the ball back to him. 

---------------- 

On Thursday I got dressed for work and checked the stitches before heading out to grab some cereal from the kitchen. Cal was sitting with his bare feet propped up on the table and the paper spread across his legs. As I walked by him I pushed his feet off and grabbed the paper, folding it up and sticking it under my arm as I rooted through the cabinet for a bowl. 

'Jesus! Who put the hop back in your step? Cal said through a mouthful of cereal. "If I ever get as excited about going to work as you do, please just save me the trouble of trying to fire a rifle into my own mouth using my big toe and just take me out, okay?" He said and I rolled my eyes tossing a plastic cereal bowl on the table and shaking some fruit loops into it. Cal just shook his head and picked up the travel section of the paper knowing I never looked at it. 

I spent the day at my desk, occasionally hopping up and going to the door when a big call came in, trying to feel a piece of the excitement. I called the florist around noon and had a bouquet of flowers sent to Jordan at work. I  knew that she'd love them. 

---------------------------

**Jordan…**

I was sitting eating a bag of pretzels at my desk around 1 when there was a knock at my door. 

"Yeah?" I called through the pretzels and Lily answered. 

"It's me! You got a delivery!" She called opening the door and popping her head in. 

"I didn't order a pizza." I said puzzled and Lily rolled her eyes stepping into the room. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. I smiled and stood from my desk. 

She hurried over to me with them and I plucked the card from the little holder. I opened it with a smile and found a single number written there. I handed the card to Lily. 

"10?" She said staring at the number. "What does that mean? And it doesn't say who it's from?" She said turning the card over to check the back. I just smiled. 

"Their from Woody." I said confidently and Lily smiled.   
"So what's the number mean?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders enigmatically. Lily scrutinized me for a few seconds more. I rolled my eyes. 

"Get there faster Lily." I said and her eyes popped open. 

"Oh…oooohhhhhh….."She said smirking and I laughed. 

"So what do you have planned for the big day? Woody's been asking around about nice B&B's in the area…" She said and leaned forward, "But you didn't hear that from me." She whispered and I chuckled. 

"I don't know…I let him handle that stuff…I just told him to tell me what to pack." I said with a grin and Lily chuckled.   
"Oh, I' so happy for you guys!" She said gaily and I laughed. "I haven't seen you so happy in…well…I can't remember when I've ever seen you this happy." She said and I nodded. 

"Yeah…there's just something about Woody that…I dunno…he's not like anyone I've ever been with before." I said and Lily smiled. 

"Well…do you love him?" she asked and I whipped my head up from the bouquet I was smelling.


	5. 28 Days Part III

**Woody…**

I closed down my computer and pulled on my coat as I readied to leave for the day. It had been relatively uneventful. On my way out I called Cal and told him I was heading home. He told me to go to Jordan's. 

"Why?" I asked as I pulled open my car door. 

"Just go damn it! Does it matter?" He said irritably and I shrugged my shoulders. 

"Okay." I said and disconnected the phone, sticking it into my coat pocket. I drove to Jordan's in silence, a thousand possible reasons for why she wanted me to come over floating through my head. I pulled up outside and climbed the stairs to the lobby. I rode up the elevator tapping my foot and pocketed my keys. 

I knocked on her door and when she didn't answer, I pulled out my newly acquired key and opened it myself. 

"Jordan?" I called looking around the room. All the lights were out except for the kitchen light. I rounded the corner and Jordan was standing placing plates on the table. She was wearing the same outfit she had been wearing the night before the shooting. I smiled and lay my coat on the couch. 

"Hey." She said walking over to me and standing on her toes to give me a kiss. I kissed her back. 

"Hey yourself." I said glancing around the room and wrapping my arms around her. 

"What's this all about?" I asked gesturing towards the set counter/table. She smiled. 

"Ten days left." She said and I smirked. 

"Really? I'd forgotten." I said playfully and Jordan swatted my arm and looked over at the centerpiece that I noticed was made of the flowers I had sent her earlier that day.  She led me to the table and I sat down on the stool, hungrily dishing out linguini onto my plate. Jordan pulled a pan out of the stove and scooped a heaping spatula full of chicken parm and cheese onto my plate. I smiled and kissed her quickly before digging into my food. We ate in comfortable silence, every so often talking about our day. 

As I was helping Jordan to clear the dishes she turned to me and leaned against the counter. 

"There…there was a something else…." She said nervously and I set the dishes down. She looked frightened for a second then moved to stand in front of me. 

"Uhh…somebody told me that you were asking around…trying to find a little B&B for the 28th day?" She asked quickly and I was sure that hadn't been what she wanted to say. I smiled anyway and nodded as I leaned back against the counter. 

"Yeah, I thought it might be nice to get away for a couple of days…was…was that all?" I asked and Jordan nodded slowly at first. 

"Umm…yeah…yes…that was all. I just wanted to make sure. I think it's a great idea." She said and picked up a dish, busying herself with cleaning it. When everything was cleaned up, I stood in the kitchen rolling my sleeves back down. 

"So…that was a great meal thank you." I said bending to capture Jordan's lips. She rested her hand on my arm and sighed against my lips. 

"I'll see you Saturday?" I asked and she pulled back. 

"Yeah…I want to say good-bye to Cal before he leaves." She said and I nodded. 

"He'll be thrilled to hear that." I said moving past her to grab my coat. I pulled it on and started towards the door. I pulled it open slowly and was about to step into the hall when I heard Jordan's voice. 

"I love you." She said loud enough for me to hear. I stopped still and turned slowly to face her. She was standing with her hands held together in front of her. She smiled. 

"I love you." She said again and I stepped back into the room moving toward her and pulled her into my arms. I lay my lips gently to hers and a rush of warmth spread through my body. 

"I love you." I whispered and she pressed her body to mine. "I love you." I said again and our kiss deepened. Jordan pulled me by my coat lapels into the room and we stood holding each other and kissing as we conveyed our love to each other with touch and then newfound words. 

Jordan was the first to pull back and she looked lovingly up into my eyes. 

"I'm sorry…it took me that long to say it back…I just…I always FELT it…I just couldn't…do you understand?" She asked and I nodded holding her back against my chest. 

"I love you." I said and Jordan sighed, repeating it again as I took her lips one last time. 

"Can…can I stay here tonight?" I whispered and Jordan nodded. 

"Yes." She said quietly and I pulled off my coat. I dropped my gun belt onto the couch and removed my dress shirt and coat in the dark. I slipped off my pants and my sox and padded barefoot through the apartment to Jordan's room. She was already in there in bed waiting for me. I threw off my undershirt but left my boxer briefs on as I slipped into bed beside her. I wrapped my arms around her body and my body reacted instantly to finding that she was wearing the tank top and little sleep shorts with the... I moaned as she rubbed her hip into me and I felt her smile against my chest. 

"Told ya it was just the medicine." She said softly and I smiled snuggling closely to her under the comforter. 

"So where were we the other night when Cal interrupted?" She asked suddenly and I groaned. 

"Oh…looking forward to it?" She asked and I chuckled. 

"That was a groan not a moan Jordan." I said sadly. 

"Why do you gotta be such a nudge!?" Jordan asked and I rolled over onto my side. 

"Roll over." I said stubbornly and Jordan threw and arm and a leg over me. "The other way dummy!" I said chuckling and Jordan laughed rolling to her other side so that her back was to me. 

"Okay so…what would you do to me if we were….having sex?" Jordan asked whispering out the word sex. I smiled and squirmed a little. 

"Well…I would…start by kissing you neck, while I was holding your cheek gently….Then I would use my other hand to slowly untie those cute, tight little purple girl boxers…and…" I rubbed the tip of my big toe against the mattress to keep me occupied while holding a fistful of sheets in my right hand. 

"Uh huh…" Jordan said and I could hear the playful smile in her voice despite the darkness of the room.

I decided to kick it up a notch. "Then I would let the back of my hand slide up over your belly button…over your ribs…I would take your breast in my hand and squeeze…just…enough." I whispered and I could feel Jordan squirming on her side of the bed. 

"Uh huh…" She said and I could tell it was through her teeth. I smiled self satisfactorily. I had her right where I wanted her. 

"Then I would let my hand slip back down and gently tug at the edges of those little shorts until they slid down over your hips and you could feel the cool sheets against your…bare…skin." I said and Jordan 'uh-huhed' again. 

"And then I would bring my hand back up to…" Jordan cut me off, lifting her head from the pillow and turning it to look at me.   
"Why the hell are you going back up!?" She said sharply and I laughed. 

"Your turn! I said and Jordan scoffed flopping her head back down on the pillow. She thought for a minute. 

"Well…I would…start by kissing across your shoulder…connecting the freckle dots if you will…and then I would a…drag…my teeth down your neck and chest until I reached the edges of those cute little boxer briefs…" She said and I tightened my grip on the sheets as my body responded to her words. I grunted quietly and I could tell Jordan had heard it. 

Then I would a…use my teeth…to pull them down…and I would…slowly…kiss…my way…back up to your lips." She said getting more quiet and sultry with every word. I swallowed hard and cleared my throat.

"Nine…" I said quietly staring at the pulsing red light of the clock as it turned over to midnight. Jordan got my drift. I wouldn't be able to control myself if this went any further. 

"Nine…"She said with a sigh and we rolled back over to face each other. Jordan started to scoot towards me and I warned her. 

"Give me a minute or two…" I said straining and Jordan stilled. "I almost forgot how painful this was…" I said chuckling and Jordan scooted up to me again. 

"No! Jordan it's integral to my survival that you don't touch me right now." I said as I tried to picture those large polar bear club women taking the January dunk into Lake Michigan in my head.

Jordan stilled and after about a minute, I scooted forward myself and wrapped my arms around her. 

"Good night Jordan." I said quietly. She kissed my chest tenderly. 

"I love you Woody." She said back and I kissed the top of her head. 

"I love you too." I said and yawned as I closed my eyes and we drifted off to sleep holding each other. 

----------------------------------------------------------- 

In the morning, I woke before Jordan and grabbed a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Jordan came in a few minutes after me and I was sitting at the counter in my underwear and undershirt sipping my coffee and reading the paper. She kissed me on the cheek as I took a sip and I smiled. 

"Morning." I said casually and Jordan grunted with a smile as she poured herself a cup. 

"You going in to work today?" She asked and I nodded. 

"Round noon. I have to go to my place and shower and change though. And the time it'll take me to convince Cal we didn't have sex last night alone is gonna set me back an hour…hour and a half." I said smiling and Jordan laughed. 

"Don't you let him leave tomorrow without saying good-bye to me." She said sternly and I nodded as I stood and took my cup to the sink. 

"You want some help with this stuff or should I go?" I asked looking down at the dishes. Jordan shooed me off. 

"No go ahead, I don't want you to rush back to your place and get killed." She said stirring her coffee. I nodded and pecked her on the cheek before heading to the living room to find my clothes. I dressed quickly, not bothering to fix my tie and just let it hang around my neck. I slid into the kitchen and gave Jordan a quick kiss before I left. 

-----------------------------------------------

When I got back to my place Cal was standing right inside the door holding a cup of coffee and tapping his foot. 

"You could have CALLED!" he said looking at his watch. I just smiled and walked past him into the living room. I threw my suit coat from the day before onto the couch and headed for my bedroom. 

'So!?" Cal called from where he still stood at the door. I turned to face him and he had that boyish gleam in his eye. "Did you two…have fun…last night?" He asked and I nodded. 

"We had a wonderful meal, Jordan admitted she loved me, had a playful game of 'describe what you'd do to me' sex, and fell asleep." I said and Cal scoffed. 

"Bull shit. You had sex with her." He said and I shook my head. 

"I swear on her life, no." I said and smiled Cal shook his head bewildered as I headed in to take a shower. As I shut the bathroom door I heard him mumble. 

"You're a better man than I am…" he said as he walked past into the kitchen. I smiled and turned on the shower. 

------------------------------------------------------------

On Saturday morning I woke up already starting to miss Cal. I snuck into the living room and peeked in on him. He was sleeping on his stomach, hanging off one side of the bed and only half of his body was under the covers. I smiled and went into the kitchen to make some breakfast for us both. Cal's favorite is French toast.

 "Do I smell French toast!?" I heard him call a few minutes later from the other room. I laughed. 

"Yep." I called and he came rushing into the room and sat down at the table. He smiled and clapped his hands together before taking a big gulp of the orange juice I had put out. 

"Oh hey I brought something with me…but I didn't wanna give it to you until the last day for fear you would get all huggy with me." He said and I nodded as he ran into the other room to retrieve whatever treasure he had found for me. I was just flipping the French toast onto his plate as he came back in holding a 5X7 picture frame. 

He handed it to me slowly and I turned the frame over. I stood staring at the picture for a long time. When I finally got my wits about me, I sat slowly down at the table. Cal was already sitting and shyly avoiding my eyes as he ate. 

"This…this is…great. Thanks a lot man." I said quietly and Cal shrugged his shoulders. I looked back down at the picture. I remembered the exact day it had been taken. I was 5 and Cal was 4. We had come in from playing out in the snow and Cal is sitting on the toy box right inside our front door, his snow pants pulled down to his ankles and one arm out of his thick sweater. The hair on one side of his head is sticking out in all directions and his cheeks and lips are bright red in contrast to his white skin. I'm standing in front of him, one boot on my foot and the other laying beside me. I have already gotten my jacket and sweater off and am wearing a three button bright red thermal shirt. I have the same laughing expression on my face as Cal as well as the bright red cheeks and lips to match. I have my feet braced on the bottom of the toy box and I am yanking on one of Cal's snow boots as my snow pants are slipping down my waist. We look like we don't have a care in the world. Hell, we probably didn't at that age. 

"No problem." Cal said through his toast. "Just thought you might like to have it." He said and I stood from my chair, setting the picture down gently on the table standing up. Cal cringed and looked up at me. 

"You're going to hug me aren't you?" He said and I smiled. 

"Come here." I said laughing and he stood embracing me tightly. "Thank you…it's a great present…and you probably didn't have to pay for it either so I know it was right up your ally of present giving." I said and Cal laughed, pulling back and grabbing my face, planting a hard, exaggerated kiss on my cheek. 

"You know me too well." He said slapping my cheeks and returning to his breakfast. I just shook my head and went back to the stove to cook my own breakfast. 

-------------------------------- 

Jordan came over around noon and made a deal of doting over Cal as he packed. 

"Honey, if I could find a lady like you back home I'd be the second luckiest guy alive." Cal said to Jordan from the couch where she was helping him to fill a bag. 

"And who's the first luckiest guy in the world?" Jordan asked with a smirk and Cal shrugged, winking at me where I stood by the little card table in the corner. 

"Well, my big brother of course…he's got the real deal…" Cal said and Jordan nodded. "He's already got the greatest chick in the world, I'll be lucky to win second place…or even first runner up for that matter." Cal said and I laughed, looking over at the picture where I had placed it on a shelf. 

---------------------------------

At the airport, we said our good- byes and Cal walked off to through his boarding gate wishing us luck next weekend with a wag of his eyebrows. As he disappeared on his way into the plane Jordan turned to me with a smirk. 

"You TOLD him what next weekend is?" She said exasperated and I folded my arms. 

"And if I asked Lily what next weekend was…might she tell me?" I said and Jordan laughed nervously. 

"I take the 5th." She said and walked away. I uncrossed my arms and followed after her. 

"That's what I thought." I said wrapping my arm around her waist as we headed through the terminal and back out to the car. 

"So…you coming back to stay with me?" Jordan asked as we drove towards her apartment. I shrugged my shoulders. 

"At night? I guess…but I think I'll be okay during the day at my place…besides…" I said lowering my voice and coughing. "The chief put me back on call for nights." I said and Jordan turned to me. 

"What!?" She said and I cringed looking out the window as I drove. 

"I'm feeling a lot better Jordan, and…and it's just my regular on call nights, no biggie…I'm not the only guy on call those nights so they'll go to the others first. Don't get so upset." I said sighing and Jordan shook her head. 

"I still think it's a mistake. You need as much sleep as you can get right now until you're completely healed." She said and I sighed again. 

"Yeah, well…like I said, I'm not the go to guy…they know the circumstances it's just rules that they gotta have a certain number of guys on call in case something goes down." I said and Jordan turned back to look out the window. I knew she understood whether she agreed or not. She had grown up a cop's daughter. 

When we got to her apartment I pulled my overnight bag out of the back seat and I caught a telling smile on Jordan's face as she walked around the car toward her building. I followed her in and she commented that she had picked up some movies to watch. I commented that a quiet night of popcorn and movies was just what we needed. 

We fell asleep together on the couch and this time I was able to carry Jordan to bed when I woke in the middle of the night. I set her gently down on the cool sheets and she reached for me unconsciously as I slipped in beside her. 

"Love you." She mumbled sleepily and I smiled, rubbing my nose against her cheek and whispering the same back to her. 

**---------------------------------------------------**

**Jordan…**

In the morning I woke in my bed, vaguely aware that it was Woody who had put me there, as I could smell him nearby. I rolled out of bed and stretched as I walked into the bathroom. My toothbrush was already sitting out and I smiled bringing it to my lips and then noticing something different about it. I pulled it back from my lips and chuckled. Woody had written a tiny '7' in toothpaste on my brush. I was actually sort of curious as to how he managed to do that. I wet the brush and cleaned my teeth quickly. Woody and I had planned a whole day of lunch and walking in the park since the weather was beginning to warm up and the snow was slowly melting. We even picked up a sled to take with us if there was still enough snow on the sledding hills at the park. 

When we arrived at the park after lunch, half the kids in Boston were at the sledding hills getting in the last bit of sledding until the next snowfall. Woody and I were the oldest people there besides a few stray parents standing off to the side of the hill chatting as their children raced down the hills. We went down together a few times, screeching and laughing on the way as the kids stopped occasionally to watch us. There was a particular trio of girls about 8 or 9 years old who seemed to be taking a particular interest in Woody. I smiled as they gradually shifted their sledding spot to be right beside us. 

"Ask them if they wanna ride on the sled with you once." I whispered and Woody narrowed his eyes at me. 

"Who?" he said trying to catch his breath as we trekked back up the hill. I wagged my eyes towards the three little girls who quickly pretended they weren't watching us. 

"Your fan club members over there." I said chuckling and Woody laughed. 

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. 

"Go ahead. It'll make their day." I said and he nodded, holding the long sled at his side as he trudged toward the little crowd. The girls eyes all widened and they tried to play it cool as Woody laid on the charm and gestured about going down the hill with them. They all looked at each other then over at me before nodding vigorously. Woody smiled and set down the sled, hopping on to the very back end. The three girls clambered to get on with him and situated themselves before scooting the sled over the edge and racing down the hill. I could hear them screeching and Woody laughing as they skidded to a stop at the bottom. 

An hour later, as Woody took the 30th group of little people racing down the hill on our sled, I realized that I had created a monster. There were little ones lined up along the top of the hill, sitting, hopping around or rolling their sleds in a circle as they waited for their turn to go fast down the hill with the 'big guy'. Finally, I noticed Woody's fatigue and intervened. 

"Okay! One more guys! The 'big guy' is getting worn out." I called down the line and there were a lot of protests. Woody smiled and set the sled down, calling for the next riders and three little boys about 5 years old all hurried to the sled. After the initial fighting over who got to sit where that was resolved by Woody, they raced down the hill and I met them at the bottom. All the kids gathered around us begging Woody for one more turn. He shook his head and told them that weather permitting, he'd be back the next time it snowed. 

"Her too?" one of the kids yelled. I nodded. 

"Her too." I said pointing to myself. 

Woody too the string of the sled and dragged it behind him as we walked off through the park. 

"Sorry I laid that on you…you feel okay?" I said chuckling and Woody shook his head. 

"It's no big deal… just a little pull on the stitching… I used to do that at home all the time…I was one of the older brother type guys and we always got recruited for stuff like that." He said and I nodded. 

"It was kind of nice to see how you are with little kids…" I said taking his hand in mine. He smiled. 

"Let's slow this boat down Cavanaugh." He said with a wink and I smiled pulling his arm closer to me. 

When we got back to my place, Woody used his masterful cooking skills to dial the phone and order us some Chinese food. We ate it in front of the television while taking turns screaming at the idiots on 80's reruns of Wheel of Fortune on the Game show network 

"We need to stop cause my grandmother does this every night." Woody said laughing as he tried and failed to get a piece of sesame chicken into his mouth with chopsticks. 

"Does what?" I said abandoning my chopsticks for a good old American fork. 

"She yells at the television when she watches Wheel of Fortune. Everyone in the house goes running for the family room thinking she's had the big one…and it's just that some cute little fella she liked went bankrupt on Wheel of Fortune." He said and threw his own chopsticks down and grabbed a fork. 

I laughed and shoveled some more food into my mouth and flopped sideways so that I could put my feet on Woody's lap. 

"So…do you want me to bring some of my stuff over still?" He asked suddenly during a commercial. I swallowed my chicken. 

"Ummmm…yeah, of course." I said confidently and Woody smiled. 

"Cool…I'll bring some stuff over this weekend." He said wagging his eyebrows. 

"So where ARE we going?" I  asked curious and Woody shook his head. 

"Don't wanna tell you." He said flipping the channel. I rolled my eyes and moved my foot closer to his crotch. 

"pllllllleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassssseeeeeee…." I said smiling coyly and Woody swatted my advancing foot away. 

"Uh uh…I'll tell you on Friday." He said and I chuckled. 

"Ohhhh…fine." I said snuggling back into his side before almost knocking both of us off the couch as I screamed yet again, at a bankruptcy on 'the wheel'. 

------------------------------------

**Woody…**

On Monday I woke up and Jordan was already gone. When I got to the shower there was a sticky note on the showerhead. 

'6'. It spelled out and a line was drawn under it. Leave it to Jordan to make sure I knew it wasn't a 9. 

I went into work around noon again and once again I was sent to my desk and told to stay out of trouble. I called Jordan for lunch and Lily answered. 

"Oh hey, Woody. Jordan's not here….she's on scene right now." Lily said and I cringed. 

"Really, which one?" I asked leaning back in my chair and tipping down the blinds of my window with a finger. 

"Car accident on 7th. Listen I gotta go Woody, the husband just got here. Get better soon! We all miss you!" She said happily and I smiled. 

"Thanks Lily, I'll be back bringing sunshine into all your lives before you know it." I said smiling and Lily laughed. 

"Bye Woody." She said. 

"Bye Lily." I said and hung up the phone with a sigh. I wondered if maybe I could sneak out to the sight. 

"Don't even think about it Hoyt." I heard a voice call from the door and I almost fell backwards in my chair. It was Eddie Winslow. 

"Hey, Lieutenant, how's it going?" I asked standing from my chair as Winslow's eyes traveled quickly over me. 

'How ya feeling kid?" he asked and I smiled. 

"Pretty good, sir…getting there." I said and Winslow nodded glancing uncomfortably around the room. 

"How's Jordan?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. 

"Okay…not real happy with me for coming back to work…but she'll get over it." I said chuckling and Winslow nodded. 

"Good ol' Jordan." He said with a sigh and turned to walk out of the office. "Tell her and Max I said hi?" He asked as he left. I smiled and nodded. 

"I definitely will." I said and Winslow smiled as he rounded the corner. 


	6. The Wait is Over

Not mine, though, if Tim Kring introduces me to THIS Woody and Jordan, I might just have to steal them for my own uses…                

I thought that this needed to be a singular short update…cause well…it's THE scene! Enjoy and thanks for waiting….seems to be a lot of that going on around here…

When I left work I headed right to Jordan's place. I saw her SUV outside the building and quickly made my way up the stairs. When I got off of the elevator, I almost stepped on a sticky note a few feet from Jordan's door. I looked down at it curiously and bent to pick it up.

'5'. That was all it said. I narrowed my eyes and folded the number over once, placing the little slip of paper in my pocket. I was confused because it wasn't yet 5 days and counting. 

I took a few more steps and noticed another sticky note on the wall heading towards her place. 

'4' was written plainly in the middle of the note. It dawned on me where this was going. Jordan was pushing the timetable ahead. I folded the note and placed it in my suit coat pocket, reaching up to loosen my tie, as I got closer to the door. 

I looked around the hallway for the next one. It was on the fire alarm outside her door. I plucked the little sticky note off of the alarm, glancing briefly at the '3' before placing it in my pocket with the others. I finally reached the door and gently removed the '2' sticky note from the red door. I checked the doorknob and it was locked. I smiled and took out my key. 

As I pushed the door open gently I had to squint for my eyes to adjust to the candlelight. 

"Jordan?" I whispered as I pulled off my gun belt and dropped it with my badge inside the door. I could hear the CD player in the bedroom on and I followed the soft sounds of the piano. 

_Passing all the pictures on the wall  
Counting all the stairs I know them all_

I walked through the living room to the kitchen. She wasn't there. I turned towards the living room again and she was suddenly standing there. I touched the back of my head shyly and looked her over. She was wearing a new bra and panties. My instincts told me they were Victoria's Secret. In the candlelight they looked like a deep wine color but I was pretty sure they were really a brighter red. She smiled and shook her head as I opened my mouth to speak. 

I knew she didn't want words but I had to ask. 

"All this for me? But it hasn't been 28 days…" I whispered and Jordan smiled as I stepped near her. She reached out her hand and ran it over my chest. 

"No…it's been longer…" She whispered back and I understood. She smiled and pressed a kiss to my lips. "And…you waited." She said simply and I smiled. It was worth it. 

_Knowing there is nothing left to say  
I take her by the hand and lead the way_

I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it as she used her other hand to push off my coat and remove my loosened tie. I took her hand and we walked to the bedroom together and I slipped off my shoes on the way. 

I released Jordan's hand and she continued into the bedroom. She'd thrown curtains over the glass doors to the room and I couldn't really see what was in there. I smiled and removed my shirt, pants and socks, pulling my undershirt over my head as I entered the bedroom. There were only two candles lit in there. I looked to the bed and Jordan lay there naked, except for a yellow sticky note with the number 1 on it stuck to one curvy hip as she was lying on her side. I smiled. 

"Oh there that is." I said smiling and stepped to the end of the bed. Jordan chuckled and I climbed onto the bed, playfully removing the sticky note with my teeth. Jordan laughed and ran a hand through my hair, the other propping her head up as she watched me. I spit the note to the floor and brought my lips back to her hip. I kissed slowly up her side until I met her lips. She impatiently rolled to her back and ran her hands up my sides, coaxing me further up her body. I smiled against her lips and slid my lower body along her left leg. Jordan moaned and I pressed myself against her warm body and felt her shudder beneath me. She moaned again and my body reacted instantly. Jordan, aware of my response, trailed her hands back down to my boxer briefs and pushed them down eagerly. When they were down to my knees I used one of my feet to push them the rest of the way off and almost bucked against Jordan when she suddenly gripped me. 

_I lead the way for  
When she comes  
And she wants all the world to know  
She calls my name, she calls my name_

"Woody…" She whispered and it is my turn to shudder. I moaned in response and she kissed along my neck as I felt sweat forming on my brow. She griped me tighter and I am close to losing control. But as usual, I waited. I wanted to be inside of her. I took a few strands of her long hair and gripped them tightly, trying to regain some control of myself. I used my free hand to explore her warm soft skin and she impatiently guided me to entering her. I pulled away momentarily and she grunted. I smiled. 

"Jordan…" I moaned breathlessly and captured her lips. She bit my lip softly with yet another moan as I thrusted my hips urgently and entered her. 

_And she never lets me go  
Have all my efforts found the way  
Have all my efforts gone astray_

I kissed her face and lips and neck leisurely as our bodies moved together feverishly. I took a moment to glance around the room between kisses and Jordan wordlessly watched my eyes travel the room as she kissed up my neck. 

There were indeed only two candles lit in the room. She had covered the large glass windows with dark purple and black sheets and the massage oils were laid out. I made a mental note to make sure they got used at some point during the night. I watched our shadows on the wall, flickering with the candlelight. Forget people who put those tacky mirrors on their ceilings, seeing our shadows in the dim light turned me on ten times more than seeing my naked ass up in the air in a mirror ever would. 

_Waiting by the closet down the hall  
I can see her shadow on the wall  
All of this for a bum like me  
Beauty only for my eyes to see  
  
_

I returned my attention to Jordan when she ground her hips into mine, pushing me deeper into her and emitting a low moan from me. Her hands were suddenly all over me. Gripping my shoulders, my waist, my buttocks. Her hands traveled brusquely up my sides and threaded through my hair. She cradled the back of my head and kissed my neck as I wrapped my arms around her middle making our stomachs touch. She reached a hand down and I thought she might be trying to find me again. But she stopped at the angry scar just to the right of my hip. I continued to pound into her even my right arm propping me up over her as I brought the one around her waist down to cover her hand over the scar. 

"I love you…" I said breathless and Jordan covered my lips with her own.  
"I love you…" She said and I almost didn't hear the soft reply. I could feel myself grow even harder and I knew control was slowly slipping away from me. I pushed faster and harder and Jordan matched me, tightening around me as I could tell she was losing control as well. 

_I can see it  
When she comes  
And she wants everyone to know  
She calls my name, she calls my name_

I thrust painfully biting my lip as I slowly entered her one last time and felt the telltale clenching of her climax as her body shuddered against mine. I followed with my own right after her. 

"Woody…" She sighed and I collapsed to my side, pulling her up against me and wrapping my arms fully around her. 

_And she never lets me go  
Have all my efforts found the way  
Have all my efforts gone astray_

I kissed her sweaty hairline and she brought a hand up to rest against my heaving chest. She ran her fingers over the scar again and I captured her hand bringing her fingertips to my lips. 

"Jordan…" I whispered and it sounded like a cry. I rolled over a little so that my body was covering hers a little better and I pulled the blankets up around us. Jordan wrapped her arms around my torso and kissed the cleft between my collarbones. I smiled as she brushed back my spiked, sweaty bangs and I could feel myself shaking. We lay like that for several minutes, gathering ourselves. 

Finally I propped myself up on one elbow and looked at Jordan. I could tell even in the candlelight that she was trying to suppress a smile. I threw my eyes up towards my hair and reached up to run a hand through it. It must have been sticking out in a million directions. We stared at each other for a long moment. 

"So…I'm good to go again if you're…" I said smiling and Jordan pounced onto me with a chuckle and I buried my head in her arms. 

It was the best night of my whole life. I still think my best moment was the night we sat on the window watching the snow, but my first night with Jordan was hands down the greatest night ever. 

We fell asleep around 4 am and I slipped out of bed around 5 to drop the curtains and allow Jordan some more sleep. I used the bathroom and slipped out into the other room to leave a message for Doctor Macy that Jordan wouldn't be in that day. I called and left a message for Winslow as well. 

I snuck back into the room and stood at the end of the bed. The slight draft from the windows gave me a chill and I wrapped my arms around my bare chest. Jordan stirred when I coughed and rolled over. Her eyes opened slowly and focused on me. 

"Hey." She whispered with a smile as she stretched out on the bed. I rubbed my arms and nodded. 

"I think I have a new appreciation of Mondays." I said smiling and Jordan laughed. "Then you're officially the craziest employed person on the planet." She said and I laughed leaning over and crawling up the bed to Jordan. 

"I'm only crazy for you…" I said with a smirk and kissed her shoulder. Jordan rubbed her knee against my thigh, bunching my boxer briefs further up my leg. 

"Cornball…" She said chuckling and I nipped at her earlobe. She turned her head to capture my lips and I sighed against them. 

"You hungry?" I asked and Jordan moaned into my mouth as her hands found the edges of my shorts. I pushed against her playfully and caught her lip with my teeth. 

"Me either." I laughed and slipped back under the blankets with her. 


	7. 28 DaysThe End

**Jordan…**

Tuesday night began the week of Woody and I playing phone tag. I got called to a scene around 10 pm and didn't get home until about 2 in the morning. I fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until about 9:30 and Woody was already gone. He left me a note that a few guys had caught a nasty February flu and they asked him to come in early for the week and he could leave at 2 or so. 

I read the note and sighed. He'd probably be exhausted when he came home and fall asleep and by the time I got back at 5:30, he'd be waking from his little naps and I would be too beat to do…well anything not to mention pay a whole lot of attention to him. 

I called to see if he wanted to get some lunch around noon but he informed me that Winslow had stopped by and dropped off a hoagie for him. 

"Oooo….do you have a new boyfriend, Woody?" I asked teasing and Woody laughed. 

"Nahh…you're still my man, baby." Woody teased back. "He's a…he's a good guy though…wanted me to tell ya hey for him." Woody said and I smiled. 

"Well you can tell him hey back for me." I said before telling Woody I would let him get back to his work. 

"I love you." I said smiling as I searched for loose change to grab something out of the machine. 

"I love you too." He said with a sigh and promised he would try to be up for when I came home. 

When I got home, Woody was out cold on the couch, a Heineken beside him on the coffee table and the morning sports page laying across his chest. I picked up the empty bottle and placed it in the recycling. 

I cooked some chicken legs for dinner and woke Woody up when it was all ready. He kissed me and slinked to the table. 

"So how was your day?" I asked and he grunted. 

"Boring…" He said sighing and I smiled. 

"So it was a good day then?" I asked knowing that boredom was a welcomed mood around a police station. He just nodded and scratched his head. 

"How bout you?" He mumbled taking a deep breath of the sweet chicken I had laid in front of him. I rolled my eyes. 

"Oh you know, the usual…some slicing, some dicing…a little melodrama thrown in for good soap operatic measure…Nigel getting yelled at." I said with a smile and Woody nodded. 

"Normalcy." He proclaimed through a mouthful of broccoli. I nodded. 

'Normalcy." I said and placed a piece of chicken in my mouth. 

After dinner, Woody helped me with the dishes and we lounged on the couch together. Woody must have noticed my eyes drooping and he pulled me with him to the bedroom. 

"Come on Jordan, no funny stuff  I promise…we both need the sleep." He said helping me to remove my clothes. I grumbled like a child and he just chuckled and guided me to lay down. I beckoned for him to join me and he changed quickly before hopping into bed with me. 

"Night." He sighed and I kissed him. 

"Night." I said before snuggling my head into his chest and falling asleep. 

-------------------------------------------------

The rest of the week was hit or miss as far as Woody and I seeing each other conscious. I spent more time at the morgue trying to make up some hours I lost taking care of Woody. Garrett told me not to worry, that I was still getting paid considering this whole incident fell under my catastrophic P.D.O.'s. I assured him I understood but I was feeling kind of useless and needed to throw myself back into the job. Garrett Just nodded in understanding. 

"Woody back full time yet?" He asked me as we strolled down the hallway on Wednesday afternoon. 

"Nah, they're giving him desk work to do just to keep him busy ya know? He's getting kind of antsy." I said and Garrett nodded. 

"Most guys in his line of work are like that. You should know." He said with a weak smile. 

"How do you mean?" I asked as we stopped just outside my office. Garrett leaned on the doorframe with one hand. 

"Well…I guess sort of like doctors make the worst patients…cops make the worst victims, you know?" he said and I looked off down the hall remembering the night Woody had that awful nightmare. I suddenly wondered if he was over it at all. 

"Yeah, I uh…I guess you're right." I said and Garrett removed his hand from the doorframe and rested it on my shoulder. 

"Why don't you try and see him for lunch today? I'll cover for you with the boss." Garrett said winking and I rolled my eyes. 

"Thanks, that'd be really great, Garrett. Thanks." I said and hugged him. I hoped Woody hadn't eaten yet. 

I grabbed Subway on the way to the precinct and hurried into the building with it, fearing Woody's roast beef sub would get cold. I found him sitting at his desk, referring to a small stack of papers as he typed on his laptop. He glanced up from his work and did a double take as he realized I was standing there. 

"Hey!' he said smiling happily as he stood from his desk. I sauntered over to him and planted a hard kiss on his lips. 

"What's the occasion?" he said pulling the other chair in the office over for me to sit in. I shrugged my shoulders. 

"A lady needs a reason to come see her man for lunch?" I asked with a smirk and Woody shook his head. 

"No, but a Cavanaugh usually does." He said narrowing his eyes at me. He could tell there was something disconcerting on my mind. Unfortunately when I looked up at him and he realized that something was also about him, he dropped the subject. I didn't want to make a scene in his office so I let it go, sure it would be brought up at a later time. 

-------------------------------

We shared the sandwich and I poured myself a cup of coffee before I left. 

"You'll be home around 6 tonight right?" Woody asked pulling on his coat and shutting down his computer. I was taken aback by him calling my place home but I tried not to show it. 

"Yeah, um…yeah…about 6. You want me to pick up some food on my way?" I asked and Woody grabbed his keys and nodded. 

"Yeah, whatever you get is fine…but just not the…" I cut him off. 

"Duck Sauce on 10th?" I asked and Woody shook his head. 

"No the…" I cut in again. 

"Oh, Dragon's on Arch….cause the sauce in the…" Woody nodded. 

"Yeah…too spicy…" He said and we walked out the door to the precinct together. 'Finishing each others sentences…that's new' I thought as we said good bye and I rounded the corner to my car. 

I shrugged it off and headed back to work, not in the mood to contemplate the status of mine and Woody's relationship right then and there. 

----------------------------------

I got home around 6:30 and Woody was taking down plates for us. He's very Martha Stewart-ish in that way. I smiled and set the carry out bags down on the counter and gave him a quick kiss. 

"So where'd you go?" he asked and peeked into one of the bags. 

"Seafood…thought it might be a better choice then anything spicy for you tonight." I said and Woody wagged his eyebrows. 

"NOTHING spicy tonight?" He asked wrapping his arms around me and I dropped my stuff next to the sink. 

"Well…I never say never…" I said chuckling and Woody smiled and leaned closer into my face. 

"We're going to sleep as soon as dinners through aren't we?" He asked cringing and I sighed, letting my tired body rest against his. 

"Oh yeah." I said sadly and patted his cheek. 

"This weekend. It's alllllll about us." I said and Woody nodded. 

------------------------------------------------------------

In the morning, I woke and showered before slipping quietly out of the apartment while Woody slept. I called and chatted with him around lunch time but he got called out and sent on a routine domestic in the middle of the conversation. 

"It's nothing big Jordan, don't worry." He said and I sighed. 

"I know…just…be safe alright?" I said before wishing him luck. 

"Always." He said and hung up the phone in a rush. I went back to my paperwork and tried not to think about the what ifs. 

--------------------------------------------------

**Woody…**

I went to the domestic call, begrudgingly of course. This was a beat cops run, I was a homicide detective. I took it in stride and was at least happy that I was getting to leave the building for a change. 

The story was typical, couple living together, several kids, father knocking the mother around. They looked to be about my age. I looked at the guy like he was scum. 

I filled out a report but the woman didn't want to press charges. I stared at her for a long moment before looking around at the four small children they had. I couldn't help it, I shook my head and sighed. 

I left the house shortly after and returned to the precinct to fill out the paperwork. Around two thirty I decided to leave and stopped for a late lunch at the Wendy's drive through. I was more tired than I had been in a few weeks and I opted to lay down in the bed instead of the couch for my nap. 

When Jordan came home, she of course overreacted and wanted to take me to the doctor's. I assured her I was fine and just a little emotionally tired. I told her about the case. 

"This guy didn't look a day older than I am, what the hell kind of problems can he be having that he feels it necessary to pummel his wife for them?" I said shaking my head as we watched the news together later that night. 

Jordan sighed. "Some people don't know any other way than violence to deal with problems." She said and I nodded. 

"Yeah, but the kids…you shoulda seen their faces Jordan…it was like 'just another day in our life'. They seemed so…so used to it." I said shaking my head. 

"Well….don't you worry…" Jordan said resting her head against my chest. "If we ever had kids…I'd make sure they were out of the room before I smacked you around." She said and I knew she was trying to make me feel better. I kissed her lips softly. 

"Thanks." I said with a sad chuckle and turned back to the news. 

"No problem." Jordan said and lay her head back against my chest. 

----------------------------------

On Friday, I had the day off. Not without terms of negotiation of course. I had to be on call all weekend. Which meant no traveling for Jordan and I. 

"Oh, don't feel bad Woody." Jordan said while getting ready for work Friday morning. "I understand…and besides…it doesn't matter where I am just as long as it's with you." She said kissing the tip of my nose. I smiled and took a sip of my coffee after yawning. 

"So is this that honeymoon period of a relationship everyone talks about?" I said and Jordan laughed. 

"Yeah, in about 3 weeks, I'm gonna be like that alien in the movie." She said gathering her things as she rushed for the door. She blew me a kiss and I smiled. 

"Have a good day at work!" I called over the paper and Jordan hollered back. 

"Bragger!" I smiled and turned the page. 

Jordan caught a homicide in the late afternoon and called me. 

"Oh no, they always come in threes." I said and I could here Jordan snort. 

"You're such a superstitious old wife." She said and I chuckled. 

"No it's true…and I'm on call this weekend." I said with a groan.

"Well, in any case, I probably won't be home until later tonight sometime so just go ahead and eat without me. Save me a few slices of pizza though okay?" she mumbled and I could tell she was rushing down the hallway. 

"Will do. Love you." I said cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder. 

"Love you too." She said and the phone disconnected. I sighed and hung up the phone. I called to order a pizza and then proceeded to search the house for a movie to watch. 

I tried to stay awake until Jordan got home but I was beat. I fell asleep on the couch around 1:15 watching an infomercial for knives that could cut through copper pipes. The last thing I remember thinking is, why would anyone wanna cut pipes with the knives they use on their food?

Jordan must have come in a short time later because she woke me up to move into the bedroom. Unfortunately, in waking me up shortly after I had fallen asleep, Jordan had inadvertently allowed me a power nap. In my vocabulary a power nap happens when you sleep for what is basically the mental equivalent of 10 minutes and then are waken up and you're wired. Unfortunately for me, Jordan was beat. 

"Well…tomorrow IS Saturday and you can afford to sleep in…" I said as she got ready for bed and I lay on the bed watching her change. She smirked. 

"That's not fair! You had the day off! You can't blame me for being less than willing to have sex!" She said vehemently and I put up my hands in surrender. 

"I was just suggesting…don't get mad at me." I said smiling smugly. "So…what do you wanna do?" I said wrapping my arms around her pillow and whipping my head to the side so that my bangs fell boyishly in my face. Jordan stood straight and put her hands on her hips. 

"Don't you dare! I know that look!" She said playfully wagging a finger at me. I widened my eyes in feigned innocence. 

"What?! I'm not doing anything!" I said unwrapping my arms from the pillow and yanking my t-shirt off. "Ooops! My shirt fell off! Weird!" I said playfully and Jordan pursed her lips. 

"You're in big trouble." She said shakily tugging at the buttons on her jeans. I wagged my eyebrows. 

"Oh I sure do hope so." I said and Jordan pulled her shirt over her head. I sat up on my knees and she shook her head, moving towards me. She joined me kneeling on top of the sheets and I pulled her against me, kissing her passionately. 

We necked for a few minutes and I was just starting to unbutton my jeans when my cell phone rang. 

"Oh for God's sake!" I said angrily rolling off of Jordan and grabbing the chirping phone. 

"Hoyt." I said angrily. "Oh, yeah….yeah….that's right I am….uh huh…..uh huh….how long ago?…..uh huh….okay….I'll be right there." I said and flipped the phone shut with a sigh. I looked over at Jordan, flushed and half naked laying before me. I dropped my head and reached for my shirt. 

"I have to go…I got a call…" I said sadly and Jordan sat up, still breathing heavy. 

"Bad?" She asked and I shook my head. 

"Don't know…just know…but that they called a homicide detective gives me some idea." I said and Jordan nodded. 

"Well…at least when you get there they'll know why it took you so long." She said smiling. I looked into the mirror. 

" I think I can save the hair but you've got the tell tale glaze of a man who was about to get laid." She said and I nodded as she tried to smooth out my hair a little. 

"It's usually me getting these calls at night when I am in a relationship…I'm gonna have to get used to this huh?" She said and I nodded, looking around for my suit pants. I pulled a clean dress shirt out of the closet and pulled it on. 

"Yeah…ditto." I said reminding Jordan that I have never been in a relationship with anyone who was on call at any hour before either. She helped me button my sleeves and fix my collar as she tied my tie. Her hands rested on the tie for a few seconds and I bent down and kissed her. 

"I'll be fine." I said and She nodded silently. 

I grabbed my coat and headed out into the cold night, praying that it was cold enough to hide the flush on my face. 

-------------------------

When I arrived at the scene, there were cops from a different precinct standing around. I showed them my badge and asked them who was in charge as I looked around to find not many authorities had showed yet. 

"You are." One said looking up from the small notepad he was writing on. I was startled at first then nodded and headed back to the alley where I assumed the bodies were. The CSI's were already there as usual. I saw an ambulance parked and silent at the other end of the alley, it's lights flashing but the siren unnecessary. 

I approached the scene and looked briefly at the white sheets covering the bodies, red blood soaking through parts of the sheet. The flash of a crime scene photographer's camera caught my eye and the only other detective on the scene beckoned me over. I could tell he was a rookie and waiting for someone to give him a clue as to what was next. 

"You from the 19th?" he asked and I nodded as we walked over to the bodies. I could hear cars pulling up down the alley. 

"Lady on the 5th floor hear the shots and some screaming about a half hour ago. We just got here a few minutes ago and the CS unit took over." He said rolling his eyes and I looked down at the white sheets once again. The rookie stood beside me, his hands shoved down into his pockets to keep warm. He was avoiding uncovering the bodies so I was sure it wasn't pretty. I pulled on my latex gloves and he did the same hurriedly as he continued to explain. 

"There must have been a struggle…" he said uncovering the man's body first. I was surprised out how young he was. "We got a hold of the parents, seems they were dating. Went out for a movie and on the way home…" I nodded. 

"Wallet gone?" I asked and the kid smiled sadly. I nodded again. "Gun shots or stabbing?" I asked and the kid held up an evidence bag with a gun inside. 

"The guy really fought him off…he's got some bruising around his wrists and a split lip. Poor guy, he was either really cheap or really fond of his girl." The rookie said and I looked to the sheet-covered woman. The rookie covered the man back up and moved to the woman. I prepared myself as he pulled back the sheet. 

He must have been rattling off vitals but I wasn't paying attention. The Woman had gunshots to her throat and abdomen. I assumed just by looking at her that the throat shot was the fatal one. But more importantly, she looked like Jordan. A lot. Her eyes were frozen open in shock. I cringed, noticing they were hazel like Jordan's as I reached down and gently closed her eyes with my fingertips. Even through the latex I could tell how cold she was.  I stood slowly, my lungs suddenly missing any air they might have been holding. I looked around for somewhere, anywhere to escape to. 

"Detective? You alright?" the rookie asked as I gasped for air that wouldn't come. I looked up and saw Winslow walking down the alley. He caught sight of me and squinted to make sure it was actually me. I walked to the brick wall of the building beside us. I leaned my hand against the wall and forced air into my lungs. Winslow was at my side. 

"Hoyt you okay? Sit down over here…" He said guiding me to the steps of the fire escape. I sat down, coughing in the cold night air. He kept a hand on my shoulder as he pulled out his radio and requested dispatch. 

"This is dispatch." A crackling voice came over the radio. Winslow pushed the button angrily. 

"Yeah, this is lieutenant Winslow, mind telling me who called Detective Hoyt to the scene on Albright?" He asked and I was beginning to breathe normally again. 

"I just call who's on the list." The voice shot casually back. Winslow grumbled something and stuck the radio back on his belt. 

"Come on, you're gonna chill out in your car for a few then I'm gonna follow you home and make sure you get up to Jordan okay." He said and I nodded. 

I sat down in the front seat of my car and Winslow stood holding the door open with one hand and leaned on the car with the other. 

"I can't….my God, what….what if I hadn't pulled my gun?" I said shakily and Winslow had to think for a minute. He seemed to get it that I was talking about the day I got shot. 

"I'm…I'm really sorry Hoyt…I told them only to call you as last resort…I didn't…" I shook my head. 

"You couldn't have known." I said as my breathing returned to normal. 

"Yeah, but I just inadvertently gave you a panic attack and I'm feeling sort of bad about myself…" He said with a sad chuckle and I laughed. 

"It's no problem really, I think I just…I just better go." I said and Winslow nodded. 

"Alright, but I am gonna follow you home." He said and I nodded taking out my keys. My hand shook as I put the key in the ignition. 

I got to Jordan's building alive by some miracle and Winslow pulled up along side of me as I was opening my door. 

"You're off call for the rest of the weekend. And if you don't feel like coming in on Monday…well…that's fine too…" He said and I smiled appreciatively. 

"Thank you sir." I said and Winslow nodded before driving off. I slipped out of the car, my muscles aching from the tenseness they had been subjected to as adrenaline pumped through my body. I tried to shake it off as I walked to the elevator. I felt light headed and dirty. I almost believed I could smell the death on my clothes and skin as I unlocked the big red door and crept into the dark apartment. Jordan was asleep. I shakily removed my gun and coat, leaving them wherever they fell in the living room. I stumbled to the bedroom dropping my suit coat and kicking off my shoes. I dropped to the chair by the bed and sighed. Jordan stirred but just rolled over and hugged my pillow. I sat back in the chair and covered my eyes. 

I assured myself that Jordan was safe in bed in front of me. But every time I looked through my cold fingers I pictured her lying where that young woman had been. I pictured her eyes frozen eternally in fear. I pictured the wounds to her neck and abdomen. I pictured how Jordan might have looked if I hadn't reached for my gun. I stood urgently from the chair and pulled off my shirt,  heading towards the bathroom unbuttoning my pants. I left them in front of the door and quickly removed the rest of my clothes. I turned the shower on and stepped into the steaming water, pullinge curtain to and stood under the hot stream as I leaned my head against the cool tile and banged the wall with the outside of my fist. 

Before I knew it, there were tears choking me. I squinted my eyes and let the tears come. A few minutes later I was almost all cried out. And then Jordan opened the curtain, smiling smokily. I turned my head surprised when I felt the cool air hit my wet body. The water masked my tears, but I'm sure the redness of my eyes tipped her off. She looked suddenly concerned. 

"Oh my God, are you alright?" She asked concerned and I laughed nervously. 

"Yeah I'm fine why?" I said glancing around the room. "Care to join?" I asked turning my back to her. Jordan was silent. I turned my head back to look at her. She set a hand on my back and handed me a towel. 

"I'll meet you on the bed." She said and I got the distinct impression that sex was not being offered as part of that equation. I nodded sullenly and turned off the water, taking the towel from her hand. I watched her leave the bathroom as I ran the towel over my head a few times. When it only felt damp, I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. 

A few minutes later, I slipped quietly into the bedroom, the towel now wrapped around my waist. Jordan was sitting in the middle of the bed. She smiled sadly at me and I went to the dresser and pulled out a small bottle of eye drops. Jordan watched while I put two drops in each eye and then moved to the bed. I looked at her sitting there and the vision of the woman flashed through my mind again. I covered my eyes with one hand and then sat quickly down onto the floor beside the bed. I leaned with my back against the bed, facing away from Jordan and she sighed and laid down, propping her head up with one arm. 

"What happened?" She asked softly and I shook my head. 

"I'd rather not talk about it." I said sadly and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. I could almost hear the wheels turning in Jordan's head. She sat up and reached over to turn out the light and she sighed as I felt her resettle herself onto the bed. I was quiet for a few minutes and Jordan bore with me. 

"It was awful." I said quietly and Jordan remained silent. She was letting me use her as a sounding board and I would be eternally grateful. 

"I…I was one of the first ones there. They never should have called me…but the dispatch couldn't have known that…but they never should have called me." I rested my head in my hands and a flash of that woman sparked in my mind. I tried to rub it away. 

"I got there...and…and they were dead. I mean they were definitely dead. The Crime scene unit was there…sheets were already over the bodies. The guy was young. They were just dating, on their way back from a movie. His wallet….and…and the bruises…he fought for her." I said feeling my eyes well up again. "He fought hard. And…and he's still dead." I let the tears come a little more freely. "And so…so is she." I turned onto my knees and leaned my elbows on the bed, almost like a child saying his prayers at night. 

"She looked just…just like you Jordan." I said composing myself. I could feel Jordan moving closer to the edge of the bed. "And…and I don't know if I can do this anymore. How am I supposed to be objective at a crime scene when I picture every woman victim as you? And with tonight….it was a robbery…and a shooting. I mean my God Jordan, that could just as well have been us. I don't think that I could possibly work in homicide anymore…it's just too hard. And looking at her…I wondered if it was a good idea for us to be together…because…I couldn't be picturing every victim as you…that would be too upsetting. And I'd be worried that one day it would be too much and I would freeze up you know? Put other cops or civilians in danger. Put you in danger…all because this junkie attacked us one morning and I'm hung up on it." I said and laid my head onto the mattress. Jordan was silent for a few moments. 

Then she burst out laughing. I looked up in the darkness and I could see the outline of her laying on the bed. She was laughing so hard she was shaking.

"Jordan?" I asked appalled. She sat up and looked at me through the darkness. I felt her hand on my bare shoulder. 

"You asshole…" She said, the laughing dying down to a chuckle. "You're so full of shit you know that?" She said then proceeded to mock me. " 'I don't know if I can do this anymore..' " She said deepening her voice. I stared at her outline, shock still written all over my face. 

"Woody," She said scooching to the edge of the bed and pulling my head into her lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "I could get hit by a car walking out to my SUV in the morning…" She said and I nodded. "Let's not let one bad incident ruin what could be the best things in our lives." She said petting my head. I lifted my head and looked up at her. 

"And what's that?" I asked and I could see her cheekbones rise in a smile as she touched my cheek. She bent forward and kissed my lips softly. I kissed her back. 

"You need to get past this Woody…I'm gonna go when it's my time and you the same. We can't know when that'll be…it's left up to fate…" She said and I lay my head back down in her lap. 

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds." I quoted and Jordan chuckled. 

"Right…Franklin Roosevelt….smart man….you should take his advice." She said petting my head softly. "So what do you choose for your fate to be Woody?" She asked and I sighed. I flashed back in my head to that scene and to the woman's face. I remembered closing her frightened eyes. 

I sighed and rose from the floor, dropping the towel as I stood. I crawled onto the bed and hovered over Jordan. She lay back on the sheets and I brought my weight down onto her, kissing up her neck and growing hard at the blood I felt pumping under there once again. She squirmed against me and wrapped her warm arms around my torso. I reached up between us and pulled frantically at her pajamas. I pulled the tank top over her head and pressed my body roughly to hers. She moaned when I dragged my teeth down between her breasts and roughly pawed at her flesh with my hands. She held my head and brought my face back up to hers. I felt her warm breath against my face and seized her lips in the darkness. 

"I love you." She whispered her hands threading through my hair. I moaned as she removed her hands and pulled her underwear off beneath me, running her hand along my thigh as she brought it back up to cup my cheek. 

"I love you…I love you so much." I said through jagged breaths as I ground my hips against her. I thrusted toward her warmth and entered her quickly. Jordan gripped my shoulders with her nails as I moved frantically in her. Kissing away the salty sweat drops at her shoulder, relishing in them as they were proof of her living. I wrapped my arms around her waist and rolled her over so that she was on top of me, needing to feel the weight of her warm body on top of me. She braced herself with both hands on my chest and I gripped tightly to her hips as we moved together in synch. 

Just as I could tell Jordan was close to the edge, I flipped her over once again and pushed into her as deeply as I could. Her body contracted around me and the pressure pushed me to climax. Jordan followed shortly after and I lay spent on top of her catching my breath. 

I had to say something and I didn't care how cliché it was. "That was great." I said still breathing heavily. Jordan laughed and rested a hand on top of my head. 

"Hell yea." She said and I wrapped my arms around her as I pulled the sheets up over our cooling bodies. I snuggled closely to her and rested my head against her chest. 

"I can hear you're heart beating." I said softly and Jordan chuckled, even though she new why I had said it. 

"Oh yeah? Saying anything interesting?" She asked and I listened for a minute. 

"Well…it says that it's been broke…" I said and lifted my head to look at Jordan. She narrowed her eyes at me. 

"Oh so you speak heart now?" She teased and I grew serious. 

"No…just…mine used to say the same thing…so I recognized it a little easier." I said with a sad smile. Jordan, God love her, had never to that point inquired into my past relationships. She smiled sadly back. 

"But then," I said sliding up along side of her to rest my head next to hers on the pillow. " I moved to Boston…and I met this beautiful, intelligent, caring, and not to mention hot, medical examiner…and oddly enough, she's got the same broken heart disease. And well, I thought maybe we could help find a solution to mending those broken hearts of ours. And I pursued her, and she uh…she turned me down a little bit…but then…she kissed me. It may have been a kiss three thousand miles from home…but it wasn't JUST a kiss. Because I felt my heart start to heal when our lips met that first time…and I think that her's started to heal as well." I said and Jordan smiled, her eyes filling up with happy tears. 

"So maybe these two broken halves can make one whole one." She said and her voice cracked. I slid my head forward and captured her lips. 

"I think maybe they already have." I said and she held my cheek as we kissed. I rolled back on top of her; the next day was Sunday after all. And I was no longer on call. 

--------------------------------------

In the morning I woke with Jordan wrapped safely in my arms. I wished I could keep her there in bed safe with me always. I wondered if she'd let me. I smiled and nuzzled her cheek. I rolled over and peeked out the window. It must have been late because the sun was brightly shining from somewhere above the window.  I rolled back to Jordan and kissed her shoulder. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes, trying to focus on my face. I smiled. 

"Morning." I whispered and Jordan stretched her arms out over her head. I took the opportunity to tickle her ribs making her arms return quickly to my torso. 

"Hey!" she groaned out and I laughed. "So…what do you wanna do today?" She asked and I shrugged my shoulders, looking out the window. 

"Winslow said I'm off call for the weekend and if I don't wanna go in on Monday I don't have to."  I said rubbing her back, not wanting to look into her eyes. 

"So you want to stay home tomorrow?" She asked softly, brushing her lips against my forehead. I sighed. I felt fine. My wounds had healed, my heart was full, my body satisfied. 

"All is mended…" I quoted softly and Jordan lifted her head to look at me. "I think it's time I got my shit together…" I said smiling sadly. Jordan understood and kissed me deeply. 

"I'm proud of you." She said holding my cheek tenderly. I shied and looked down between us shaking my head. 

"Thank you." I said earnestly, hoping that she understood that I'd meant for everything she'd done for me. "I love you Jordan." I said kissing her softly. 

"I love you too." She said and climbed on top of me, ready to spend the last day of my leave together, re-exploring one another. 

**Jordan…**

I woke around 7 on Monday because I was missing a familiar warmth beside me which I was fully prepared to write a written complaint to management on the subject. That was until I looked around my room and saw Woody standing in front of the mirror over my dresser. 

"Hey." I said quietly and sat up resting my elbows on my knees and flipping all of my hair over one shoulder. Woody turned his head, startled by my voice. He must have been deep in thought. "How are you feeling?" I asked and he turned to face me mussing his hair and straightening his dress coat. He strolled to the end of the bed and I rose to my knees wrapping my arms around his neck. 

"Good." He replied in a sigh that he seemed to have been holding since the day he was shot. I pulled back, straightened his collar, righted his tie and kissed him lightly. 

"Good." I said smiling and kissed him on the nose. I laid back down on the bed as he sat down and tied his shoes before rising and going to the door as he grabbed his keys from the dresser. Growing up with a cop, I knew it was taboo to say good-bye. 

"Be safe. I love you." I called softly, pulling his pillow to my cheek and taking in his scent. He turned his head with a smile and nodded to me as he headed out the door.   
"Always. And… I love you too." He said closing the door gently behind him as I glanced around my room. His basketball shoes hung by the laces tied together on the bathroom door. His razor sat beside mine on the sink. A few stray specks of shaving cream graced the mirror and a pair of jeans lay over the edge of the bed. The sports section rested on the little end table outside of the bathroom.

 I smiled and pressed my nose into the pillow, relishing in the sense of home that had slowly enveloped my apartment over the course of the month. 

**Woody…**

_"If we shadows have offended,  
Think but this, and all is mended,  
That you have but slumber'd here  
While these visions did appear.  
And this weak and idle theme,  
No more yielding but a dream,  
Gentles, do not reprehend:  
if you pardon, we will mend:  
And, as I am an honest Puck,  
If we have unearned luck  
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,  
We will make amends ere long;  
Else the Puck a liar call;  
So, good night unto you all.  
Give me your hands, if we be friends,  
And Robin shall restore amends."_

I strode quickly down the front steps of Jordan's building and looked up at the sun high above the city as I pulled my coat around my body a little tighter. It didn't wrap as far as it had been the past few weeks and I smiled, happy to be gaining back a little of the weight I had dangerously lost during the month. On the other side of the street an elderly couple walked hand in hand, probably towards the bakery on the corner for hot rolls. I smiled as a gaggle of school children passed me and rubber necked to point and wave more to the badge on my coat pocket than to me. I threw them a wave back and they hurried on their way, swinging backpacks at each other and kicking the last bit of dirty snow on the sidewalks. 

I arrived at the station, parking my car in the spot I always had. I locked the doors and waved to the voices shouting my name across the lot and asking how I was doing. I nodded and gave the usual 'good, better.' And kept on walking. A couple guys made me show them the scar and a few minutes were spent comparing battle wounds before everyone left my office and I was alone with my thoughts. I walked around the room, gingerly touched the pile of get well and welcome back cards on my desk and sat down with a deep breath, leaned back in my chair and looked peeked out the window. 

"Hey, Hoyt…we got a body in the Charles….looks like pretty cut and dry, you wanna take it? the coroner's office requested you specifically…" the other detective smiled and I glanced back out the window. I wondered how long it would be before Jordan got a speeding ticket for the way she drove. 

"Yeah, sure…I'll be there in a few." I said sighing and stood to put my coat back on. I fixed my badge before shutting the door behind me. 

_  
  
  
___


End file.
